Narrative:

Departed midland international airport on 16R in an small aircraft, destination amarillo, tx. After turning northbound and in contact with midland departure, I noticed fuel coming out of left main fuel cap. I then told departure control I needed to come back and land. At that point I turned back to the southwest toward the airport at the same time starting a descent. I was asked by midland departure if any assistance was necessary, to which I responded, 'negative.' fuel was still coming out of left fuel cap as I changed frequency to midland tower. Upon contacting tower, I was cleared to land on what I thought was 16R. It was apparent that I was going to be extremely high, so I asked and received permission to do a left 360 degree turn while continuing to descend. After completing the turn I lined up for final on 16R and landed. As I turned off onto a taxiway, the tower stated that I had been cleared to land on parallel runway 16L. I responded that I did not understand it that way. Tower reconfirmed runway 16L, but it was not problem this time. Next time and any further times I am cleared to land, I will repeat the runway # back to tower to alleviate this type of communication misunderstanding.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA DISCOVERED FUEL LEAKING FOR FILLER CAP AFTER TKOF. RETURN LAND ON WRONG RWY.

Narrative: DEPARTED MIDLAND INTL ARPT ON 16R IN AN SMA, DEST AMARILLO, TX. AFTER TURNING NBOUND AND IN CONTACT WITH MIDLAND DEP, I NOTICED FUEL COMING OUT OF LEFT MAIN FUEL CAP. I THEN TOLD DEP CTL I NEEDED TO COME BACK AND LAND. AT THAT POINT I TURNED BACK TO THE SW TOWARD THE ARPT AT THE SAME TIME STARTING A DSCNT. I WAS ASKED BY MIDLAND DEP IF ANY ASSISTANCE WAS NECESSARY, TO WHICH I RESPONDED, 'NEGATIVE.' FUEL WAS STILL COMING OUT OF LEFT FUEL CAP AS I CHANGED FREQ TO MIDLAND TWR. UPON CONTACTING TWR, I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 16R. IT WAS APPARENT THAT I WAS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY HIGH, SO I ASKED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO DO A LEFT 360 DEG TURN WHILE CONTINUING TO DSND. AFTER COMPLETING THE TURN I LINED UP FOR FINAL ON 16R AND LANDED. AS I TURNED OFF ONTO A TXWY, THE TWR STATED THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND ON PARALLEL RWY 16L. I RESPONDED THAT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT THAT WAY. TWR RECONFIRMED RWY 16L, BUT IT WAS NOT PROB THIS TIME. NEXT TIME AND ANY FURTHER TIMES I AM CLRED TO LAND, I WILL REPEAT THE RWY # BACK TO TWR TO ALLEVIATE THIS TYPE OF COM MISUNDERSTANDING.

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.