Experimental aircraft pilot landing without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	498230
Time
Date	200101
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pao.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 170
ASRS Report	498230
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far
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:

Although I fly for a living, I do that in a crew situation with set patterns. As a solo private pilot I try to be thorough and professional, but I don't have quite the same patterns. On this morning flight, it was very quiet. My first flight into pao had me looking out quite a bit to make sure of my location. I was cleared from a VFR chkpoint to enter a right base, runway 31. In setting up to land and locate the field, I honestly don't remember getting landing clearance. Many times when it's very quiet, the tower gives that clearance early, sometimes in the first transmission. Neither tower nor ground control, as I taxied in, said anything, but I felt uncomfortable thinking I may have made that mistake. It's not for the controller to remind me to call. I know my responsibilities and do make mistakes sometimes. I also try to be professional in all flying (VFR, IFR, light planes or jets) as they each require different skills and knowledge. Setting patterns is equally important in small planes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EXPERIMENTAL ACFT PLT LWOC.

Narrative: ALTHOUGH I FLY FOR A LIVING, I DO THAT IN A CREW SIT WITH SET PATTERNS. AS A SOLO PVT PLT I TRY TO BE THOROUGH AND PROFESSIONAL, BUT I DON'T HAVE QUITE THE SAME PATTERNS. ON THIS MORNING FLT, IT WAS VERY QUIET. MY FIRST FLT INTO PAO HAD ME LOOKING OUT QUITE A BIT TO MAKE SURE OF MY LOCATION. I WAS CLRED FROM A VFR CHKPOINT TO ENTER A R BASE, RWY 31. IN SETTING UP TO LAND AND LOCATE THE FIELD, I HONESTLY DON'T REMEMBER GETTING LNDG CLRNC. MANY TIMES WHEN IT'S VERY QUIET, THE TWR GIVES THAT CLRNC EARLY, SOMETIMES IN THE FIRST XMISSION. NEITHER TWR NOR GND CTL, AS I TAXIED IN, SAID ANYTHING, BUT I FELT UNCOMFORTABLE THINKING I MAY HAVE MADE THAT MISTAKE. IT'S NOT FOR THE CTLR TO REMIND ME TO CALL. I KNOW MY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DO MAKE MISTAKES SOMETIMES. I ALSO TRY TO BE PROFESSIONAL IN ALL FLYING (VFR, IFR, LIGHT PLANES OR JETS) AS THEY EACH REQUIRE DIFFERENT SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE. SETTING PATTERNS IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT IN SMALL PLANES.

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.