Unauthorized landing. Wrong runway approach landing.

Attributes
ACN	291058
Time
Date	199412
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pbi
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 120 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	291058
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The incident occurred when I approached pbi (west palm beach international airport). As I was approaching near the airport, they had first given me a heading vector of 180 degrees and said 'sbound clear for left base runway 13.' I followed the assigned heading of 180 degrees but was confused with the direction of landing when I found the airport, I initiated a descent. During the descent, I tried to decide which runway was the assigned runway. I was approaching what I thought was runway 13, but I was told by ATC to rejoin final for runway 13. This then confused me and I wasn't sure if the runway I was lined up with was the correct one. I then decided to join the downwind for the opposite direction which was actually runway 31. During the pattern, the tower didn't say anything, so I assumed that I was right in my decision. This obviously then resulted me in landing on the wrong runway. I believe what confused me the most at the end was the diagram I had on my lap which was an outlay of the runway. You see, I realized that I had the diagram upside down, which made runway 31 at the bottom of the diagram. Because I was coming from the north, I had pictured the bottom of the diagrams as north and the top south. When I crossed reference my position with that of the diagram, it showed me that I was entering a 45 degree left base for runway 31. When ATC said to rejoin final for runway 13, I knew according to the diagram I was entering from the wrong side. That is why I decided to enter a left downwind for runway 13. But in actuality I was entering a left downwind for runway 31. While flying on the left downwind for runway 31, I could not see the number because I was too far out. What I should have done was cross reference the diagram with my heading indicator. I should have also rotated my diagram of the runway as how I would really see it as I approach the field. I could have also asked tower if they have visual contact so they may realize I was entering the wrong runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH LNDG. WRONG RWY APCH LNDG.

Narrative: THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN I APCHED PBI (WEST PALM BEACH INTL ARPT). AS I WAS APCHING NEAR THE ARPT, THEY HAD FIRST GIVEN ME A HDG VECTOR OF 180 DEGS AND SAID 'SBOUND CLR FOR L BASE RWY 13.' I FOLLOWED THE ASSIGNED HDG OF 180 DEGS BUT WAS CONFUSED WITH THE DIRECTION OF LNDG WHEN I FOUND THE ARPT, I INITIATED A DSCNT. DURING THE DSCNT, I TRIED TO DECIDE WHICH RWY WAS THE ASSIGNED RWY. I WAS APCHING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RWY 13, BUT I WAS TOLD BY ATC TO REJOIN FINAL FOR RWY 13. THIS THEN CONFUSED ME AND I WASN'T SURE IF THE RWY I WAS LINED UP WITH WAS THE CORRECT ONE. I THEN DECIDED TO JOIN THE DOWNWIND FOR THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHICH WAS ACTUALLY RWY 31. DURING THE PATTERN, THE TWR DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING, SO I ASSUMED THAT I WAS RIGHT IN MY DECISION. THIS OBVIOUSLY THEN RESULTED ME IN LNDG ON THE WRONG RWY. I BELIEVE WHAT CONFUSED ME THE MOST AT THE END WAS THE DIAGRAM I HAD ON MY LAP WHICH WAS AN OUTLAY OF THE RWY. YOU SEE, I REALIZED THAT I HAD THE DIAGRAM UPSIDE DOWN, WHICH MADE RWY 31 AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DIAGRAM. BECAUSE I WAS COMING FROM THE N, I HAD PICTURED THE BOTTOM OF THE DIAGRAMS AS N AND THE TOP S. WHEN I CROSSED REF MY POS WITH THAT OF THE DIAGRAM, IT SHOWED ME THAT I WAS ENTERING A 45 DEG L BASE FOR RWY 31. WHEN ATC SAID TO REJOIN FINAL FOR RWY 13, I KNEW ACCORDING TO THE DIAGRAM I WAS ENTERING FROM THE WRONG SIDE. THAT IS WHY I DECIDED TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 13. BUT IN ACTUALITY I WAS ENTERING A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 31. WHILE FLYING ON THE L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 31, I COULD NOT SEE THE NUMBER BECAUSE I WAS TOO FAR OUT. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS CROSS REF THE DIAGRAM WITH MY HDG INDICATOR. I SHOULD HAVE ALSO ROTATED MY DIAGRAM OF THE RWY AS HOW I WOULD REALLY SEE IT AS I APCH THE FIELD. I COULD HAVE ALSO ASKED TWR IF THEY HAVE VISUAL CONTACT SO THEY MAY REALIZE I WAS ENTERING THE WRONG RWY.

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.