A B767-200 flight landing without clearance on runway 26R and not on tower frequency at atl, GA.

Attributes
ACN	478980
Time
Date	200007
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl.tracon tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 26r other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7600 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	478980
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On flight from lax to atl on jul/xa/00, we were landing at atl in visual conditions. We were cleared for a visual approach to runway 26R by atl approach controller. Somewhere just outside the marker, we failed to switched to tower frequency. We engaged in conversation about how the landing was going to be and we 'joked' about it. I was the first officer flying the aircraft and I don't remember getting a landing clearance. I didn't realize it until we cleared the runway when I noticed we were still on approach control frequency (118.35). We contacted tower on 119.50 and they told us to hold short of runway 26L. Taxi in was uneventful and no one mentioned the landing clearance to us. Atl tower may have cleared us to land on tower frequency but we were on approach control frequency. We failed to switch over to tower frequency because of the non essential conversation that we engaged in at about 2000 ft AGL. That conversation distraction us from our normal procedures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-200 FLT LWOC ON RWY 26R AND NOT ON TWR FREQ AT ATL, GA.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM LAX TO ATL ON JUL/XA/00, WE WERE LNDG AT ATL IN VISUAL CONDITIONS. WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R BY ATL APCH CTLR. SOMEWHERE JUST OUTSIDE THE MARKER, WE FAILED TO SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ. WE ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THE LNDG WAS GOING TO BE AND WE 'JOKED' ABOUT IT. I WAS THE FO FLYING THE ACFT AND I DON'T REMEMBER GETTING A LNDG CLRNC. I DIDN'T REALIZE IT UNTIL WE CLRED THE RWY WHEN I NOTICED WE WERE STILL ON APCH CTL FREQ (118.35). WE CONTACTED TWR ON 119.50 AND THEY TOLD US TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 26L. TAXI IN WAS UNEVENTFUL AND NO ONE MENTIONED THE LNDG CLRNC TO US. ATL TWR MAY HAVE CLRED US TO LAND ON TWR FREQ BUT WE WERE ON APCH CTL FREQ. WE FAILED TO SWITCH OVER TO TWR FREQ BECAUSE OF THE NON ESSENTIAL CONVERSATION THAT WE ENGAGED IN AT ABOUT 2000 FT AGL. THAT CONVERSATION DISTR US FROM OUR NORMAL PROCS.

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.