A B737 crew landed at atl without a clearance.

Attributes
ACN	540911
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 9500
ASRS Report	540911
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying flight abcd, phl-atl on an ILS approach, in visual conditions. When switched over from approach to tower, we could not make contact with tower controller, because he was in a conversation with an air carrier Y aircraft holding short of a runway. We made several attempts to make contact. The last contact attempt we made before touchdown was blocked partially by another aircraft, but we interpreted it as 'cleared to land.' the runway was verified by my first officer as well as myself to be clear of aircraft, so we proceeded to land, without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 CREW LANDED AT ATL WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FLT ABCD, PHL-ATL ON AN ILS APCH, IN VISUAL CONDITIONS. WHEN SWITCHED OVER FROM APCH TO TWR, WE COULD NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH TWR CTLR, BECAUSE HE WAS IN A CONVERSATION WITH AN ACR Y ACFT HOLDING SHORT OF A RWY. WE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO MAKE CONTACT. THE LAST CONTACT ATTEMPT WE MADE BEFORE TOUCHDOWN WAS BLOCKED PARTIALLY BY ANOTHER ACFT, BUT WE INTERPRETED IT AS 'CLRED TO LAND.' THE RWY WAS VERIFIED BY MY FO AS WELL AS MYSELF TO BE CLR OF ACFT, SO WE PROCEEDED TO LAND, WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.