B737 crew on final approach to atl airport, unable to communicate with tower due to frequency congestion, landing without clearance.

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Attributes
ACN	495817
Time
Date	200012
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower tower : pdk.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 08
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	495817
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

RVR 5500-6000 ft. Atl runway 8L. On initial contact with atl tower, we were told to continue (#3 or #4 for the runway). Earlier in the day on a CAT III ILS to the same runway, we were told by tower that landing clearance would be given on short final. On a low visibility approach, short final is a very busy time for both pilots. On the second approach, from 3 mi on final to landing, we couldn't get a word in to tower due to a very busy tower frequency. We saw the runway at CAT I minimums. We still couldn't talk to tower to confirm landing clearance. We might have gotten it earlier, but the transmission was blocked. We saw that the runway was completely clear and we landed. I felt that was the safest action on a day when the visibility was going up and down. On low visibility approachs, landing clearance shouldn't be given or withheld until short final. It distracts both pilots from their immediate tasks at hand and on very low visibility approachs could lead to a conflict on the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW ON FINAL APCH TO ATL ARPT, UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH TWR DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION, LWOC.

Narrative: RVR 5500-6000 FT. ATL RWY 8L. ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH ATL TWR, WE WERE TOLD TO CONTINUE (#3 OR #4 FOR THE RWY). EARLIER IN THE DAY ON A CAT III ILS TO THE SAME RWY, WE WERE TOLD BY TWR THAT LNDG CLRNC WOULD BE GIVEN ON SHORT FINAL. ON A LOW VISIBILITY APCH, SHORT FINAL IS A VERY BUSY TIME FOR BOTH PLTS. ON THE SECOND APCH, FROM 3 MI ON FINAL TO LNDG, WE COULDN'T GET A WORD IN TO TWR DUE TO A VERY BUSY TWR FREQ. WE SAW THE RWY AT CAT I MINIMUMS. WE STILL COULDN'T TALK TO TWR TO CONFIRM LNDG CLRNC. WE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN IT EARLIER, BUT THE XMISSION WAS BLOCKED. WE SAW THAT THE RWY WAS COMPLETELY CLR AND WE LANDED. I FELT THAT WAS THE SAFEST ACTION ON A DAY WHEN THE VISIBILITY WAS GOING UP AND DOWN. ON LOW VISIBILITY APCHS, LNDG CLRNC SHOULDN'T BE GIVEN OR WITHHELD UNTIL SHORT FINAL. IT DISTRACTS BOTH PLTS FROM THEIR IMMEDIATE TASKS AT HAND AND ON VERY LOW VISIBILITY APCHS COULD LEAD TO A CONFLICT ON THE RWY.

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.