Narrative:

We landed without switching from approach to tower and thus landed without clearance. Many events led up to this. Flight was from dtw-mke. There was a 60 degree F temperature change between the two airports so a lot of WX was occurring and that was our primary distraction. First of all we climbed much higher than our original cruise altitude and encountered many deviations for thunderstorms en route. As a result we had to descend very quickly. Meanwhile, mke WX was 1/4 mi so we briefed CAT 3 procedures. Also low level windshear alert system were in effect so I also briefed CAT 1 procedures because windshear conditions would not permit CAT 3. WX at mke did improve and events immediately preceding the approach were not rushed. But I guess we had so much on our mind that we allowed ourselves to overlook switching to tower. I cannot recall if there were any directions by the approach controller. As PNF, I routinely verbalize 'cleared to land' after the before landing checklist. But as PF I don't always do so, usually due to concentrations on flying. Because of our human nature, the potential for events like these will always be out there. I think that a final item on before landing checklists like 'landing clearance received' would greatly reduce such occurrences.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW FAILS TO CHANGE TO TWR FREQ AT MKE, LAND WITHOUT CLRNC. FO COULDN'T REMEMBER A HDOF FROM APCH CTLR.

Narrative: WE LANDED WITHOUT SWITCHING FROM APCH TO TWR AND THUS LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC. MANY EVENTS LED UP TO THIS. FLT WAS FROM DTW-MKE. THERE WAS A 60 DEG F TEMP CHANGE BTWN THE TWO ARPTS SO A LOT OF WX WAS OCCURRING AND THAT WAS OUR PRIMARY DISTR. FIRST OF ALL WE CLBED MUCH HIGHER THAN OUR ORIGINAL CRUISE ALT AND ENCOUNTERED MANY DEVS FOR TSTMS ENRTE. AS A RESULT WE HAD TO DSND VERY QUICKLY. MEANWHILE, MKE WX WAS 1/4 MI SO WE BRIEFED CAT 3 PROCS. ALSO LOW LEVEL WINDSHEAR ALERT SYS WERE IN EFFECT SO I ALSO BRIEFED CAT 1 PROCS BECAUSE WINDSHEAR CONDITIONS WOULD NOT PERMIT CAT 3. WX AT MKE DID IMPROVE AND EVENTS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE APCH WERE NOT RUSHED. BUT I GUESS WE HAD SO MUCH ON OUR MIND THAT WE ALLOWED OURSELVES TO OVERLOOK SWITCHING TO TWR. I CANNOT RECALL IF THERE WERE ANY DIRECTIONS BY THE APCH CTLR. AS PNF, I ROUTINELY VERBALIZE 'CLRED TO LAND' AFTER THE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST. BUT AS PF I DON'T ALWAYS DO SO, USUALLY DUE TO CONCENTRATIONS ON FLYING. BECAUSE OF OUR HUMAN NATURE, THE POTENTIAL FOR EVENTS LIKE THESE WILL ALWAYS BE OUT THERE. I THINK THAT A FINAL ITEM ON BEFORE LNDG CHKLISTS LIKE 'LNDG CLRNC RECEIVED' WOULD GREATLY REDUCE SUCH OCCURRENCES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.