Narrative:

On V-64 at 13000 ft in cruise, I left the radio #1 to PF (I was PIC). We were on ZLA frequency at the time. I left the frequency to listen to psp (our destination) ATIS. As I was writing it down (current ATIS XA53Z), I noticed the PF change frequency. As he did, he looked down at me to see what the information was. I told him it was current ATIS information. As I was finishing writing down the information, I could hear him in the backgnd talking, then one more time he switched the frequency and talked some more. When I checked back in with him, he advised me that we were cleared for the visual runway 31L, left base runway 31L over the freeway. He had slowed down at this point and had 15 degrees flaps and had turned as he said he was instructed to. About 2 mins later he said he had not heard the tower call back on 119.65 (as he thought he was assigned). I checked the frequency and it was 119.7. I switched over to 119.7 and called the tower with the approach clearance. The PF captain had been given left base runway 31L at the freeway. They extended our base and then cleared us to land. After landing, the tower gave us a number to call. I was surprised because the flight to me had seemed normal and as expected. Approach advised me that we did not receive an approach clearance (on the phone) with them. I was stunned. What the PF had done looked so routine, I was confused. How would the PF know runway 31L, left base over the freeway unless he had a clearance? Why would the PF check in with ATIS information if he wasn't talking to an approach controller? Both pilots were alert and well rested. A contributing factor was me not listening to the active frequency while getting ATIS. Coming from the west, you really can't hear the ATIS until you are almost at psp due to mountains, or else I would have gotten it much earlier. What the PF did looked and sounded normal!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C560 CREW COMPLETED A VISUAL APCH WITHOUT APCH CLRNC FROM APCH CTL. TWR CLRED THE ACFT FOR LNDG.

Narrative: ON V-64 AT 13000 FT IN CRUISE, I LEFT THE RADIO #1 TO PF (I WAS PIC). WE WERE ON ZLA FREQ AT THE TIME. I LEFT THE FREQ TO LISTEN TO PSP (OUR DEST) ATIS. AS I WAS WRITING IT DOWN (CURRENT ATIS XA53Z), I NOTICED THE PF CHANGE FREQ. AS HE DID, HE LOOKED DOWN AT ME TO SEE WHAT THE INFO WAS. I TOLD HIM IT WAS CURRENT ATIS INFO. AS I WAS FINISHING WRITING DOWN THE INFO, I COULD HEAR HIM IN THE BACKGND TALKING, THEN ONE MORE TIME HE SWITCHED THE FREQ AND TALKED SOME MORE. WHEN I CHKED BACK IN WITH HIM, HE ADVISED ME THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL RWY 31L, L BASE RWY 31L OVER THE FREEWAY. HE HAD SLOWED DOWN AT THIS POINT AND HAD 15 DEGS FLAPS AND HAD TURNED AS HE SAID HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO. ABOUT 2 MINS LATER HE SAID HE HAD NOT HEARD THE TWR CALL BACK ON 119.65 (AS HE THOUGHT HE WAS ASSIGNED). I CHKED THE FREQ AND IT WAS 119.7. I SWITCHED OVER TO 119.7 AND CALLED THE TWR WITH THE APCH CLRNC. THE PF CAPT HAD BEEN GIVEN L BASE RWY 31L AT THE FREEWAY. THEY EXTENDED OUR BASE AND THEN CLRED US TO LAND. AFTER LNDG, THE TWR GAVE US A NUMBER TO CALL. I WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE THE FLT TO ME HAD SEEMED NORMAL AND AS EXPECTED. APCH ADVISED ME THAT WE DID NOT RECEIVE AN APCH CLRNC (ON THE PHONE) WITH THEM. I WAS STUNNED. WHAT THE PF HAD DONE LOOKED SO ROUTINE, I WAS CONFUSED. HOW WOULD THE PF KNOW RWY 31L, L BASE OVER THE FREEWAY UNLESS HE HAD A CLRNC? WHY WOULD THE PF CHK IN WITH ATIS INFO IF HE WASN'T TALKING TO AN APCH CTLR? BOTH PLTS WERE ALERT AND WELL RESTED. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS ME NOT LISTENING TO THE ACTIVE FREQ WHILE GETTING ATIS. COMING FROM THE W, YOU REALLY CAN'T HEAR THE ATIS UNTIL YOU ARE ALMOST AT PSP DUE TO MOUNTAINS, OR ELSE I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT MUCH EARLIER. WHAT THE PF DID LOOKED AND SOUNDED NORMAL!

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.