LATE DSCNT CLRNC SETS A B757 FLC UP FOR CLRNC LNDG NOT RECEIVED. UNAUTH LNDG IN A NIGHT OP.

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THERE WAS A SCATTERED CLOUD LAYER AT APPROX 2000 FT. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH; THEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL. WE WERE HIGH AND CLRED LATE FOR THE APCH. IT WAS READILY APPARENT TO ME THAT THE OUTCOME WOULD NOT BE A SUCCESSFUL LNDG; BUT I ALLOWED THE FO TO CONTINUE UNTIL APPROX 500 FT AND THEN WE EXECUTED A GAR. WE CHANGED FREQ TO APCH CTL; ENTERED A L DOWNWIND AT 2000 FT. THEY CLRED US FOR ANOTHER VISUAL. THE APCH WAS CLOSE IN AND THE FO WAS LATE GETTING DOWN AGAIN. APCH HANDED US OFF TO TWR. I LOOKED DOWN TO SEE THE TWR FREQ STILL IN THE BOX; BUT APPARENTLY DIDN'T FLIP THE SWITCH. I ADVISED THEM THAT WE WERE ON A VISUAL FOR THE L. THEY RESPONDED; BUT I DIDN'T HEAR THEIR RESPONSE CLRLY. I ASKED THE FO IF THEY HAD SAID 'CLRED TO LAND.' 'YES; THEY DID.' I WOULD NORMALLY HAVE VERIFIED; BUT WE WERE BELOW 1000 FT AND TRYING TO GET THE FO TO RESPOND TO MY CALLS TO ARREST THE DSCNT RATE. AS WE WERE TOUCHING DOWN; APCH CTL SAID TWR SAYS YOU ARE CLRED TO LAND; CONTACT GND OFF THE RWY. IN RETROSPECT; I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR THE FULL APCH; FOR MORE TIME FOR THE PF; INSTEAD OF STAYING IN FAIRLY TIGHT TO REMAIN CLR OF THE SCATTERED LAYER OF CLOUDS. AND I SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED THE LNDG CLRNC EVEN IF THE DELAY RESULTED IN A SECOND GAR. I REALIZE THAT WHEN PLTS ARE 'FLYING' THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HEAR EVERYTHING ATC SAYS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 359921: WHILE WITH APCH CTL GOING INTO SMF; WE ENDED UP GETTING HIGH ON APCH TO RWY 16L. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF APCH CTL ACTUALLY TOLD US TO SWITCH OVER TO TWR. BUT UPON LNDG; APCH TOLD US 'THE TWR SAYS YOU ARE CLR TO LAND AND CONTACT GND AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT NOT SWITCHING FREQS.' I FEEL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS EVENT INCLUDE GETTING VERY BUSY WITH THE GAR AND AN EARLY TURN ONTO FINAL (THE SECOND TIME AROUND) AND TRYING TO GET ALL THE PROCS AND CHKLISTS ACCOMPLISHED. IT WAS VERY RUSHED AND BUSY AND WE JUST PLAIN FORGOT TO SWITCH OVER.