Date: 201811
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Dusk
Aircraft: Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Distraction
Second reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; First Officer
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: I was the Pilot Flying (PF) into ZZZ at dusk. The First Officer told me during our pre-departure briefing that he was somewhat new and hadn't flown the [aircraft] since his differences IOE. I took a lot of extra time even before pushback briefing everything I could think of about the differences as well as our flight; especially Runway XY into ZZZ. The event occurred on approach and landing on Runway XY into ZZZ. We were getting vectored for the RNAV GPS XY; and the Approach Controller seemed like he was distracted; as the vectors he was giving us were odd. I sensed this; and decided to start getting configured early; to slow things down and reduce the workload for the final approach segment. The vector he gave us already put us in a position to be behind. I had to query him to give us a turn to final and clear us for the approach. We were given a lower altitude; and cleared for the approach. We were both on the same page in terms of the approach briefing; we went over it meticulously in our briefings. It was my first time flying into ZZZ; and I believe I was hyper-focused on flying the approach. I made the standard callouts; including 'Flaps 45; Before Landing Checklist'; and this was where I believe something distracted us both. If I had to guess; it would probably be the Tower clearing us to land. I remember calling for the checklist; but I don't think it was ever done. After touchdown; I pulled out the thrust reversers; and I believe a L (or R) THR REV UNSAFE amber message illuminated; and we had no reverse thrust. I armed the thrust reversers and began using them; but by the time I had them out; we were already at about 70 knots. We had plenty of Runway available to stop and were slowed to taxi speed well before taxiway Juliet. We taxied to the gate without incident.As the Captain; if the checklist was indeed not completed; I should have caught this.


Second narrative: My Captain and I were flying to ZZZ. We started briefing our approach and landing early as it is a short flight and a complicated approach with a short runway. Because of this; we made sure to pay extra attention to the briefing. As we got closer to the airport; we asked the approach controller for vectors to the RNAV Runway XY approach. We did this because it is much safer than doing a visual approach. During the vectors to the approach; we started getting configured early to avoid getting task saturated in the event we get vectored too tightly. After being given our intercept angle; we were well set up for our approach. While getting closer and closer to intercepting the final approach course; we were still waiting to be cleared for the approach. My Captain decided to query the controller to see if we were clear for the approach. He then cleared us for the approach while we were very close to the approach course. Then; we were immediately handed off to Tower who cleared us to land. At the same time; we had to make our final configuration changes and complete all of the call-outs associated with our approach. We quickly became task saturated and I missed my cue to arm our thrust reverses. During all of this task saturation; we must have missed; or did not complete our before landing checklist due to being distracted by a hand-off at an inconvenient time.The mistake was detected after landing when the pilot flying tried to deploy the thrust reversers. The reversers would not deploy. That is when the pilot flying noticed that the reversers were not armed.This occurrence was caused by tight vectors and a late approach clearance; as well as a hand-off to Tower during an already task saturated period of flight.The pilot flying then armed the reversers while continuing to stop using the brakes. The aircraft was able to slow down with plenty of runway remaining. We then exited the runway in a safe manner onto the nearest taxiway.I do not believe the Controller was expecting us to ask for an RNAV approach. It seemed he had become task saturated as well due to the fact that he had to be asked before telling us we were cleared for the approach. It may help to advise our intentions to fly an approach earlier; as well as being given wider vectors that do not create task saturation.


Synopsis: CRJ-200 flight crew reported landing without completing the Before Landing checklist; citing a late clearance as contributing.