Landing without clearance at mui, PA.

Attributes
ACN	488936
Time
Date	200010
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	other
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mui.tower
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 642
ASRS Report	488936
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Event occurred at the conclusion of VFR flight to this airport (VFR flight plan filed, not activated participating with ATC for flight following) at night. WX became MVFR at 5, 4 and 3 mi of visibility. On approach from VOR, I called on CTAF and found the tower still open. I was approximately 6 mi away. Instructed to report base for runway 7. This meant a crosswind, right downwind to base. Visibility was reduced from prior to approach. Called tower to confirm WX. Told visibility was 3 mi, scattered 1400 ft AGL and ceiling at approximately 2000-2500 ft AGL in haze. I widened out east first, then wider downwind south of field while I descended to pattern altitude, extending downwind to approximately 6 mi west of the field. On 2 position call tower said they did not have me in sight and turned up lights of field. I turned in and just before 3 mi I spotted the field. I adjusted my approach to line up on final then called tower. Now at 2 mi I called 2 mi out from extended base on final. Tower said 'not in sight, continue on in.' (all lights on aircraft working.) I landed. Tower said not seen. Then called while taxiing to say in the future to call on final, she had not officially cleared me to land. I had called on final and understood I was ok to 'come on in' and land. My perception was that I was cleared. I will confirm in the future the word 'cleared.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LWOC AT MUI, PA.

Narrative: EVENT OCCURRED AT THE CONCLUSION OF VFR FLT TO THIS ARPT (VFR FLT PLAN FILED, NOT ACTIVATED PARTICIPATING WITH ATC FOR FLT FOLLOWING) AT NIGHT. WX BECAME MVFR AT 5, 4 AND 3 MI OF VISIBILITY. ON APCH FROM VOR, I CALLED ON CTAF AND FOUND THE TWR STILL OPEN. I WAS APPROX 6 MI AWAY. INSTRUCTED TO RPT BASE FOR RWY 7. THIS MEANT A XWIND, R DOWNWIND TO BASE. VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED FROM PRIOR TO APCH. CALLED TWR TO CONFIRM WX. TOLD VISIBILITY WAS 3 MI, SCATTERED 1400 FT AGL AND CEILING AT APPROX 2000-2500 FT AGL IN HAZE. I WIDENED OUT E FIRST, THEN WIDER DOWNWIND S OF FIELD WHILE I DSNDED TO PATTERN ALT, EXTENDING DOWNWIND TO APPROX 6 MI W OF THE FIELD. ON 2 POS CALL TWR SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE ME IN SIGHT AND TURNED UP LIGHTS OF FIELD. I TURNED IN AND JUST BEFORE 3 MI I SPOTTED THE FIELD. I ADJUSTED MY APCH TO LINE UP ON FINAL THEN CALLED TWR. NOW AT 2 MI I CALLED 2 MI OUT FROM EXTENDED BASE ON FINAL. TWR SAID 'NOT IN SIGHT, CONTINUE ON IN.' (ALL LIGHTS ON ACFT WORKING.) I LANDED. TWR SAID NOT SEEN. THEN CALLED WHILE TAXIING TO SAY IN THE FUTURE TO CALL ON FINAL, SHE HAD NOT OFFICIALLY CLRED ME TO LAND. I HAD CALLED ON FINAL AND UNDERSTOOD I WAS OK TO 'COME ON IN' AND LAND. MY PERCEPTION WAS THAT I WAS CLRED. I WILL CONFIRM IN THE FUTURE THE WORD 'CLRED.'

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.