Narrative:

Aircraft X was on final approach. When he first checked on; I told him to continue traffic would be holding in position. He responded with 'okay I will be looking for traffic'. I then told him; [to] slow to his slowest practical approach speed; and to continue; that traffic would be holding in position. He then said he could 'take [intersecting runway] if it helps'; I then told him okay enter a left downwind then corrected myself and said right downwind. 'He then asked what runway am I landing.' I then realized he was confused and decided not to put an aircraft in position prior to his arrival. I told him runway 32 you are cleared to land. Aircraft X read back cleared to land runway 32. This was when he was on a 2 mile final. He crossed the threshold of the runway at approximately 500-800 feet AGL. That is when I put aircraft Y in position on the runway. Aircraft X was high over the runway and didn't touch down until around midfield prior to the intersecting runway. Once he touched down; I realized he wasn't on the actual runway; but on a parallel taxiway. From where the tower is situated; it was difficult at first to tell he wasn't on the runway. Aircraft Y then keyed up and asked if the arrival just flew over his head. Aircraft Y had been holding short of the runway on a taxiway at the approach end of the runway. I then told aircraft X to taxi across the runway; traffic was holding in position; and to stay on my frequency. I then told him I believed he landed on a taxiway and issued the brasher statement.I don't know what could have prevented this from happening. The two crossing runways are both paralleled by a taxiway on either side. It looks like a lot of concrete in one area of the field. There is [a] new tower being built across the field to alleviate the problems we have in the old tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SRQ Tower Controller reported observing an aircraft land on a taxiway parallel to the assigned runway.

Narrative: Aircraft X was on final approach. When he first checked on; I told him to continue traffic would be holding in position. He responded with 'okay I will be looking for traffic'. I then told him; [to] slow to his slowest practical approach speed; and to continue; that traffic would be holding in position. He then said he could 'take [intersecting runway] if it helps'; I then told him okay enter a left downwind then corrected myself and said right downwind. 'He then asked what runway am I landing.' I then realized he was confused and decided not to put an aircraft in position prior to his arrival. I told him runway 32 you are cleared to land. Aircraft X read back cleared to land runway 32. This was when he was on a 2 mile final. He crossed the threshold of the runway at approximately 500-800 feet AGL. That is when I put Aircraft Y in position on the runway. Aircraft X was high over the runway and didn't touch down until around midfield prior to the intersecting runway. Once he touched down; I realized he wasn't on the actual runway; but on a parallel taxiway. From where the tower is situated; it was difficult at first to tell he wasn't on the runway. Aircraft Y then keyed up and asked if the arrival just flew over his head. Aircraft Y had been holding short of the runway on a taxiway at the approach end of the runway. I then told Aircraft X to taxi across the runway; traffic was holding in position; and to stay on my frequency. I then told him I believed he landed on a taxiway and issued the brasher statement.I don't know what could have prevented this from happening. The two crossing runways are both paralleled by a taxiway on either side. It looks like a lot of concrete in one area of the field. There is [a] new tower being built across the field to alleviate the problems we have in the old tower.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.