Atx small transport landed on the wrong runway at dfw at night from a visual approach.

Attributes
ACN	101170
Time
Date	198812
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	101170
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On approach to the airport I made visual contact and called approach 'airport in sight.' they cleared me for a visual approach to 17L and to contact tower. I called tower, told them I was on a straight in for 17L. They cleared me to land. When I landed tower told me I had landed on 18L. There was very little traffic at that time, so there was no danger and no one was inconvenienced--but why could not the tower have told me that I was lined up with the wrong runway before I actually landed? I do not believe that any of us are at our sharpest at that time of the night and I always believed that we are supposed to keep an eye on each other. I believe that's what ATC was set up for--to assist the pilot. However, the new ATC gives me the impression that they believe that aircraft and pilots are put there for their sole purpose to do with as they wish and all they have to do is cover their rear flanks and to heck with everybody else. I do not think that that type of operation is going to help air safety very much.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT LANDED ON THE WRONG RWY AT DFW AT NIGHT FROM A VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: ON APCH TO THE ARPT I MADE VISUAL CONTACT AND CALLED APCH 'ARPT IN SIGHT.' THEY CLRED ME FOR A VISUAL APCH TO 17L AND TO CONTACT TWR. I CALLED TWR, TOLD THEM I WAS ON A STRAIGHT IN FOR 17L. THEY CLRED ME TO LAND. WHEN I LANDED TWR TOLD ME I HAD LANDED ON 18L. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TFC AT THAT TIME, SO THERE WAS NO DANGER AND NO ONE WAS INCONVENIENCED--BUT WHY COULD NOT THE TWR HAVE TOLD ME THAT I WAS LINED UP WITH THE WRONG RWY BEFORE I ACTUALLY LANDED? I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY OF US ARE AT OUR SHARPEST AT THAT TIME OF THE NIGHT AND I ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO KEEP AN EYE ON EACH OTHER. I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT ATC WAS SET UP FOR--TO ASSIST THE PLT. HOWEVER, THE NEW ATC GIVES ME THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT ACFT AND PLTS ARE PUT THERE FOR THEIR SOLE PURPOSE TO DO WITH AS THEY WISH AND ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS COVER THEIR REAR FLANKS AND TO HECK WITH EVERYBODY ELSE. I DO NOT THINK THAT THAT TYPE OF OPERATION IS GOING TO HELP AIR SAFETY VERY MUCH.

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.