<< >> NASA ASRS Report 87106, May 1988

Commuter light transport unauthorized landing at dfw. Failed to contact tower. Claims no handoff by approach controller.

Attributes
ACN	87106
Time
Date	198805
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw tower : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	87106
Person 2
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Initial approach control handed us over to the final controller on 118.1. I attempted to contact them, but realized there was a stuck microphone on 118.1. Returned to initial approach and advised. Stayed with him for several more minutes and again was instructed to contact 118.1. I did and this time we were able to communicate with the final controller. He told us to fly heading 100 degree and track the localizer 'inbound and report airport in sight'. I reported airport in sight and am sure, for 99 percent, that we were clrd to land. The final controller never handed us over to the tower and we didn't contact the tower until after landing to get parallel runway crossing clearance. We got clearance to cross runways and never was anything said about not being on tower frequency at landing. I am a new captain (1 week) and other capts told me it has happened to them. I believe it is an unsafe situation/procedure at dfw.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT UNAUTH LNDG AT DFW. FAILED TO CONTACT TWR. CLAIMS NO HANDOFF BY APCH CTLR.

Narrative: INITIAL APCH CTL HANDED US OVER TO THE FINAL CTLR ON 118.1. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THEM, BUT REALIZED THERE WAS A STUCK MIKE ON 118.1. RETURNED TO INITIAL APCH AND ADVISED. STAYED WITH HIM FOR SEVERAL MORE MINUTES AND AGAIN WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT 118.1. I DID AND THIS TIME WE WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE FINAL CTLR. HE TOLD US TO FLY HDG 100 DEG AND TRACK THE LOC 'INBND AND REPORT ARPT IN SIGHT'. I RPTED ARPT IN SIGHT AND AM SURE, FOR 99 PERCENT, THAT WE WERE CLRD TO LAND. THE FINAL CTLR NEVER HANDED US OVER TO THE TWR AND WE DIDN'T CONTACT THE TWR UNTIL AFTER LNDG TO GET PARALLEL RWY XING CLRNC. WE GOT CLRNC TO CROSS RWYS AND NEVER WAS ANYTHING SAID ABOUT NOT BEING ON TWR FREQ AT LNDG. I AM A NEW CAPT (1 WEEK) AND OTHER CAPTS TOLD ME IT HAS HAPPENED TO THEM. I BELIEVE IT IS AN UNSAFE SITUATION/PROCEDURE AT DFW.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.