DA40 Diamond Star
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Landing Without Clearance
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Staffing; Procedure
I was working CIC. Training was in progress on LCW/LCE combined; one Trainer and one student. One FPL was working CD/FD/GC combined. We had just learned that there was a local pilot club flight event which would entail quite a few VFR's in and out all day. Traffic was escalating rapidly; so I moved to the LCE station plugged in and instructed the Trainer to give me East (I felt the trainee was about to loose it). The trainer agreed this was a good idea; except he wanted me to take LCW. I moved to LCW and plugged in; received a rapid brief and began working. Aircraft that had been waiting to go at two intersections and full length and had already received excessive delay time. I felt pressured to get people moving so I started squeezing them out. Shortly after I took position; a Diamond; Aircraft X; checked in on approximately 15 mile final but I missed the full call sign; and ignored him as I was busy working runway out. About a minute after his first call; the Diamond checked in again; I instructed him to continue for Runway 3R. I was launching quite a few VFR's while the Diamond was continuing inbound. About one minute after; I told him to continue for Runway 13R (again) and informed him I had traffic holding in position. About a minute and a half later I had a Twin Cessna; Aircraft Z; full length Line up and wait; notifying him of the Diamond traffic on [then] 3 mile final; (except I told Aircraft Z that Aircraft X was a Cessna.) With Aircraft Z airborne; I launched another aircraft full-length; Arrow; Aircraft W. I can only guess at this point that Aircraft X was somewhere on short final; most likely watching the Arrow roll and deciding he had required spacing to land. Aircraft X was NOT cleared to land. Aircraft Y checked in ready full-length and I instructed him to hold short. I was making several co ordinations with my Local East Controller (training in progress) as several of my aircraft were making left downwind departures in her airspace. Finally I cleared Aircraft Y for take off. Luckily Aircraft Y took quite a bit of time to take the runway; time during which Aircraft X was rolling out. My Ground Controller was actively scanning and alerted me of Aircraft X (Identifying him as 'that guy') turning left at A4. It appeared that Aircraft Y was beginning take off roll just as Aircraft Y was exiting the runway. I had never cleared the diamond; [Aircraft X] to land; in fact forgetting about him since I last talked to him. I was temporarily baffled as to whom he was and immediately asked LCE to cross their runway. I then said 'diamond at A4; cross R13R'; no response so I had ground try. This was successful as the diamond had already switched to ground; even though he wasn't clear of either safety area. Our runway configuration allows small aircraft to safely clear the runway; between runways; but not to be clear of the safety area. I suspect we may have temporarily lost required runway separation just as the diamond was exiting; as A4 is about 3;000 FT down the runway. By the time I got past the surprise on my runway (3-4 seconds) Aircraft X was safely clear of the runway; and Aircraft Y was well into takeoff roll so I elected not to cancel Aircraft Y's take off clearance. At no point did I clear Aircraft X to land. Recommendation; 1) CIC should never be combined with a Local Control position during hours that could reasonably expected to be busy (good weather; middle of the day; A FLY IN EVENT OF WHICH WE WEREN'T NOTIFIED[!]) 2) Additionally we should have Local Assist staffed during any possible busy times. This would have had 2 extra sets of eyes in the tower cab; certainly reducing events of this nature. 3) Emphasis should be placed on short final scan at our facility. We have a lot of 'visual detritus' on short final (buildings; cranes; towers; etc) making especially difficult to spot little guys (diamonds are the worst) even if you know where to look! 4) We need ground surveillance RADAR; as slower moving targets drop off the RADAR at 400 FT AGL. 5) Obviously pilots should NEVER land without a clearance; why didn't Aircraft X ask if he was cleared to land on short final (or before)? He was told twice to continue; traffic holding in position. 6) Unfamiliar pilots attending busy flight events such as this should be thoroughly briefed on local procedures (ours are confusing) to lessen Local controllers need to 'baby sit' when busy. A Local Assist position (#2) would probably have been the BEST AID to preventing this event; as I was having to make excessive coordination with the LCE Controller to use her downwinds; etc (the museum event was on the West side of the runway; minimize runway crossings right?) The LCE position was also very busy so they had no idea what was going on LCW. We are a 'training' facility (its pretty much non-stop) so having more 'help' positions open more of the time seems to be the best immediate solution; followed by ground surveillance RADAR.
Tower CIC Controller described a loss of required runway separation event when traffic landed with landing clearance; listing additional fly in workload as a causal factor.