Summary
On 6 January 2011 at 21:57 UTC, a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 (registration EI-EFX) flying from East Midlands to Alicante with 174 persons on board landed on runway 28 at Alicante Airport without having received landing clearance. The aircraft was undamaged, and no injuries were reported among the 6 crew, 166 passengers, and 2 third persons.
Crew
The captain, aged 47, held an ATPL and had 14,335:19 total flight hours, with 6,326:04 on the Boeing 737. The copilot, aged 22, held a CPL and had 2,300 total hours, with 2,050 on type. Both held valid medical certificates and English proficiency Level 6.
Sequence of Events
The flight was routine, with the copilot as pilot flying. Valencia approach control cleared the aircraft for a VOR Z approach to runway 28. Meteorological conditions were CAVOK, and the crew saw the runway several miles before landing. The crew executed the approach and landed at 21:57. After landing, they followed a marshaller to the parking stand. The tower controller instructed the marshaller not to park the aircraft until the crew contacted him. The crew then contacted the controller, who informed them they had landed without clearance. The crew apologized, stating they were unaware of the omission.
ATC Communications
The crew stated they did not recall being transferred to the tower frequency (118.15 MHz) and had not acknowledged any transfer. The active frequency on COM1 was still Valencia approach (120.4 MHz). COM2 was tuned to the ATIS frequency with the volume turned down. The tower controller reported calling the aircraft on 118.15 MHz and the emergency frequency 121.5 MHz without reply. The approach controller noted that after coordinating with the tower, he believed communications had been transferred, but he later called the tower and learned the aircraft was already on the ground.
Checklists and Procedures
The captain noted that the airline's SOP required turning on landing lights as the last item on the landing checklist upon receiving landing clearance. In this instance, the landing lights were not turned on, which the captain attributed to a momentary distraction. The crew realized the lights were off after landing, which prompted them to notice the frequency discrepancy.
Flight Recorders
The cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data recorder information was not saved by the crew after the incident. The quick access recorder data provided no useful information.
Aircraft Information
The Boeing 737-8AS, serial number 35019, had valid certificates and was equipped with two CFM 56-7B26 engines.