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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Pilot of a civilian owned navy aircraft, factory model n3n3, tail dragger (see graphic) landed on a parallel taxiway by mistake due to sun in the pilot's eyes and the contrast of the wider and brighter taxiway as compared to the runway.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 381986 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199710 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : azo |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | landing other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time total : 3700 |
| ASRS Report | 381986 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Returning from a pleasure flight in my N3N-3, I was cleared by the tower to land on runway 23. I inadvertently landed on the parallel taxiway. I did not realize my mistake until the airplane was stopped (it stopped quickly due to a very low landing speed and rather strong winds). Although there is no excuse, there are several mitigating factors. It was a very hazy day and the sun was low on the horizon, creating glare and poor forward visibility. Runway 23 is an old concrete runway which visually blends into the surrounding ground. It is even more difficult to see when it is late afternoon and the sun is in your face. The parallel taxiway is wider than the runway and has a relatively new asphalt surface, and is much easier to see. My airplane is a taildragger with a big radial engine, so forward visibility is difficult during landing. This was my sixth flight of the afternoon and I was probably tired and somewhat complacent.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF A CIVILIAN OWNED NAVY ACFT, FACTORY MODEL N3N3, TAIL DRAGGER (SEE GRAPHIC) LANDED ON A PARALLEL TXWY BY MISTAKE DUE TO SUN IN THE PLT'S EYES AND THE CONTRAST OF THE WIDER AND BRIGHTER TXWY AS COMPARED TO THE RWY.
Narrative: RETURNING FROM A PLEASURE FLT IN MY N3N-3, I WAS CLRED BY THE TWR TO LAND ON RWY 23. I INADVERTENTLY LANDED ON THE PARALLEL TXWY. I DID NOT REALIZE MY MISTAKE UNTIL THE AIRPLANE WAS STOPPED (IT STOPPED QUICKLY DUE TO A VERY LOW LNDG SPD AND RATHER STRONG WINDS). ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO EXCUSE, THERE ARE SEVERAL MITIGATING FACTORS. IT WAS A VERY HAZY DAY AND THE SUN WAS LOW ON THE HORIZON, CREATING GLARE AND POOR FORWARD VISIBILITY. RWY 23 IS AN OLD CONCRETE RWY WHICH VISUALLY BLENDS INTO THE SURROUNDING GND. IT IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN IT IS LATE AFTERNOON AND THE SUN IS IN YOUR FACE. THE PARALLEL TXWY IS WIDER THAN THE RWY AND HAS A RELATIVELY NEW ASPHALT SURFACE, AND IS MUCH EASIER TO SEE. MY AIRPLANE IS A TAILDRAGGER WITH A BIG RADIAL ENG, SO FORWARD VISIBILITY IS DIFFICULT DURING LNDG. THIS WAS MY SIXTH FLT OF THE AFTERNOON AND I WAS PROBABLY TIRED AND SOMEWHAT COMPLACENT.
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.