Narrative:

Flight's approach to bos was radar vectors for an extended final approach to runway 27. As we turned to the final approach course to runway 27 we were told to follow an air carrier MD80, which approach control vectored 3 NM in front of us. We were given 170 KIAS to 5 NM and cleared for the visual approach to runway 27. At 5 NM we completed configuring for landing and maintained our visual on the MD80. Conditions at the field were VFR with strong winds out of the west. I do not remember being cleared to tower frequency at any time during the approach and neither did the other 2 crew members. Consequently, we landed without acknowledging a clearance to land. We were very focused on the aircraft ahead and even briefed a potential go around, due to spacing. After landing, we cleared runway 27 behind the MD80 and waited for crossing instructions to cross runway 22R which was active. We changed to runway 22R tower and frequency and were cleared to cross runway 22R. We were then told by tower that they had not had replies from us on the last few xmissions. There were 4 contributing factors to this incident: 1) approach control was very busy. 2) we were in close proximity to traffic in front of us on final approach. 3) the strong winds out of the west required more attention in the cockpit. 4) we were using a single head communication radio, which does not allow crew to preset next frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CAPT, ON APCH TO BOS, BECAME PREOCCUPIED BY STRONG WIND CONDITIONS, THE LIMITATIONS OF A SINGLE HEAD COM RADIO, AND THE MD80 HE WAS IN TRAIL OF BY 3 NM, AND LANDED WITH CLRNC.

Narrative: FLT'S APCH TO BOS WAS RADAR VECTORS FOR AN EXTENDED FINAL APCH TO RWY 27. AS WE TURNED TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 27 WE WERE TOLD TO FOLLOW AN ACR MD80, WHICH APCH CTL VECTORED 3 NM IN FRONT OF US. WE WERE GIVEN 170 KIAS TO 5 NM AND CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 27. AT 5 NM WE COMPLETED CONFIGURING FOR LNDG AND MAINTAINED OUR VISUAL ON THE MD80. CONDITIONS AT THE FIELD WERE VFR WITH STRONG WINDS OUT OF THE W. I DO NOT REMEMBER BEING CLRED TO TWR FREQ AT ANY TIME DURING THE APCH AND NEITHER DID THE OTHER 2 CREW MEMBERS. CONSEQUENTLY, WE LANDED WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING A CLRNC TO LAND. WE WERE VERY FOCUSED ON THE ACFT AHEAD AND EVEN BRIEFED A POTENTIAL GAR, DUE TO SPACING. AFTER LNDG, WE CLRED RWY 27 BEHIND THE MD80 AND WAITED FOR XING INSTRUCTIONS TO CROSS RWY 22R WHICH WAS ACTIVE. WE CHANGED TO RWY 22R TWR AND FREQ AND WERE CLRED TO CROSS RWY 22R. WE WERE THEN TOLD BY TWR THAT THEY HAD NOT HAD REPLIES FROM US ON THE LAST FEW XMISSIONS. THERE WERE 4 CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS INCIDENT: 1) APCH CTL WAS VERY BUSY. 2) WE WERE IN CLOSE PROX TO TFC IN FRONT OF US ON FINAL APCH. 3) THE STRONG WINDS OUT OF THE W REQUIRED MORE ATTN IN THE COCKPIT. 4) WE WERE USING A SINGLE HEAD COM RADIO, WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW CREW TO PRESET NEXT FREQ.

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.