Air carrier medium large transport cleared to land on 21C is questioned by tower while on short fina...

Attributes
ACN	192035
Time
Date	199110
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : straight in approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	192035
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	191927
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

I was the captain on flight on oct/sun/91. I was the PF. We had been cleared for a visual approach to 21L, following other traffic, by approach control. We were switched from approach to detroit tower. The first officer checked in with the tower, and the tower's initial contact was 'company identify, cleared to land 21C.' of this I am sure. I remember being pleasantly surprised to be getting 21C, it would mean a shorter taxi to the gate. The first officer read back 'company identify, cleared to land, 21C.' there was no further discussion until approximately XXX local detroit time when an airplane holding short of 21C asked the tower if he had traffic on short final to 21C. We were at approximately 500 ft AGL. I don't remember how the tower said it, but they asked us if we were lined up on 21C. The first officer restated that we had been cleared to land 21C. The tower indicated that there was no conflict and again cleared us to land 21C. We asked ground control for a telephone number taxiing in. I immediately called the dtw tower and I spoke with the supervisor. He indicated that he and the controller involved had been discussing it. He assured me that there was no conflict and that he was instituting no action. He had me talk briefly to the controller. He also confirmed there was no conflict, and that traffic had been heavy and that there was no problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CLRED TO LAND ON 21C IS QUESTIONED BY TWR WHILE ON SHORT FINAL THEN RECLRED TO LAND ON 21C. TWR THOUGHT THE LNDG CLRNC WAS TO 21L.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON FLT ON OCT/SUN/91. I WAS THE PF. WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO 21L, FOLLOWING OTHER TFC, BY APCH CTL. WE WERE SWITCHED FROM APCH TO DETROIT TWR. THE FO CHKED IN WITH THE TWR, AND THE TWR'S INITIAL CONTACT WAS 'COMPANY IDENT, CLRED TO LAND 21C.' OF THIS I AM SURE. I REMEMBER BEING PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO BE GETTING 21C, IT WOULD MEAN A SHORTER TAXI TO THE GATE. THE FO READ BACK 'COMPANY IDENT, CLRED TO LAND, 21C.' THERE WAS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION UNTIL APPROX XXX LCL DETROIT TIME WHEN AN AIRPLANE HOLDING SHORT OF 21C ASKED THE TWR IF HE HAD TFC ON SHORT FINAL TO 21C. WE WERE AT APPROX 500 FT AGL. I DON'T REMEMBER HOW THE TWR SAID IT, BUT THEY ASKED US IF WE WERE LINED UP ON 21C. THE FO RESTATED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND 21C. THE TWR INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND AGAIN CLRED US TO LAND 21C. WE ASKED GND CTL FOR A TELEPHONE NUMBER TAXIING IN. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DTW TWR AND I SPOKE WITH THE SUPVR. HE INDICATED THAT HE AND THE CTLR INVOLVED HAD BEEN DISCUSSING IT. HE ASSURED ME THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND THAT HE WAS INSTITUTING NO ACTION. HE HAD ME TALK BRIEFLY TO THE CTLR. HE ALSO CONFIRMED THERE WAS NO CONFLICT, AND THAT TFC HAD BEEN HVY AND THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Air carrier medium large transport cleared to land on 21C is questioned by tower while on short final then reclred to land on 21C. Tower thought the landing clearance was to 21L.