Narrative:

Approach control vectored us for an approach to runway 14L at iah, then for a side-step to 14R. As 14R is much shorter, we were going to ask for a circle to runway 8. Switched over to tower and he immediately cleared us to land on 14L. As this was our desired runway, we proceeded with a normal approach. We no longer had a need to ask for the circle to runway 8. Aircraft in front of us circled to runway 8 and an large transport was cleared for takeoff in front of us on 14L. We were a little close, but not close enough to really be concerned. As the large transport lifted off, the controller started to clear another aircraft into position when he suddenly said 'hold short, that aircraft is landing on the wrong runway!' as the runway was clear and we had been cleared to land, we completed the landing on 14L. On ground, we discussed the situation with the tower supervisor and he said he would play the tapes. In checking with the tower supervisor the next day, he said we had in fact been cleared to land on runway 14L.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION IN THE TWR ABOUT WHICH RWY AN MLG IS CLEARED TO LAND ON.

Narrative: APCH CTL VECTORED US FOR AN APCH TO RWY 14L AT IAH, THEN FOR A SIDE-STEP TO 14R. AS 14R IS MUCH SHORTER, WE WERE GOING TO ASK FOR A CIRCLE TO RWY 8. SWITCHED OVER TO TWR AND HE IMMEDIATELY CLRED US TO LAND ON 14L. AS THIS WAS OUR DESIRED RWY, WE PROCEEDED WITH A NORMAL APCH. WE NO LONGER HAD A NEED TO ASK FOR THE CIRCLE TO RWY 8. ACFT IN FRONT OF US CIRCLED TO RWY 8 AND AN LGT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF IN FRONT OF US ON 14L. WE WERE A LITTLE CLOSE, BUT NOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO REALLY BE CONCERNED. AS THE LGT LIFTED OFF, THE CTLR STARTED TO CLEAR ANOTHER ACFT INTO POSITION WHEN HE SUDDENLY SAID 'HOLD SHORT, THAT ACFT IS LNDG ON THE WRONG RWY!' AS THE RWY WAS CLEAR AND WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND, WE COMPLETED THE LNDG ON 14L. ON GND, WE DISCUSSED THE SITUATION WITH THE TWR SUPVR AND HE SAID HE WOULD PLAY THE TAPES. IN CHECKING WITH THE TWR SUPVR THE NEXT DAY, HE SAID WE HAD IN FACT BEEN CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 14L.

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.