Narrative:

After a long day, I arrived at airport in MVFR. Was instructed to report turning final runway 22. Sighting the airport, I was not in position to land on runway 22 and was offered runway 4. I declined runway 4 and requested left pattern for runway 22. It was approved. Flying left pattern for runway 22, I was constantly questioned by a friend in the right seat, who is also a CFI, as to if I still saw the airport. The answer was yes. Then he asked me if I saw the runway. I looked to my left and saw the approach end of runway 27. Thinking that somehow I screwed up and he was telling me that this was runway 22, I went for it. I did not check the directional gyro and was concentrating on outside references as WX was very marginal. Over the numbers, he said it was runway 27. I looked at the directional gyro and realized my mistake. I immediately asked the tower if runway 27 was ok and they said yes, a couple seconds before my touchdown. I apologized for the blunder and they understood. There was no traffic conflict, we were the only aircraft in class D airspace. On later discussion with my friend: 1) I thought he knew something I did not (namely -- I thought he was cueing me to land on that runway and that that was runway 22). He thought I knew something he did not and I was right. Bad case of miscom. 2) I did not practice what I preach -- namely, to check the directional gyro for agreement with runway. 3) fatigue, impatience, WX and a mild case of get homeitis played a role. I will pay more attention next time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT MADE A VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: AFTER A LONG DAY, I ARRIVED AT ARPT IN MVFR. WAS INSTRUCTED TO RPT TURNING FINAL RWY 22. SIGHTING THE ARPT, I WAS NOT IN POS TO LAND ON RWY 22 AND WAS OFFERED RWY 4. I DECLINED RWY 4 AND REQUESTED L PATTERN FOR RWY 22. IT WAS APPROVED. FLYING L PATTERN FOR RWY 22, I WAS CONSTANTLY QUESTIONED BY A FRIEND IN THE R SEAT, WHO IS ALSO A CFI, AS TO IF I STILL SAW THE ARPT. THE ANSWER WAS YES. THEN HE ASKED ME IF I SAW THE RWY. I LOOKED TO MY L AND SAW THE APCH END OF RWY 27. THINKING THAT SOMEHOW I SCREWED UP AND HE WAS TELLING ME THAT THIS WAS RWY 22, I WENT FOR IT. I DID NOT CHK THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO AND WAS CONCENTRATING ON OUTSIDE REFS AS WX WAS VERY MARGINAL. OVER THE NUMBERS, HE SAID IT WAS RWY 27. I LOOKED AT THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO AND REALIZED MY MISTAKE. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED THE TWR IF RWY 27 WAS OK AND THEY SAID YES, A COUPLE SECONDS BEFORE MY TOUCHDOWN. I APOLOGIZED FOR THE BLUNDER AND THEY UNDERSTOOD. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT, WE WERE THE ONLY ACFT IN CLASS D AIRSPACE. ON LATER DISCUSSION WITH MY FRIEND: 1) I THOUGHT HE KNEW SOMETHING I DID NOT (NAMELY -- I THOUGHT HE WAS CUEING ME TO LAND ON THAT RWY AND THAT THAT WAS RWY 22). HE THOUGHT I KNEW SOMETHING HE DID NOT AND I WAS RIGHT. BAD CASE OF MISCOM. 2) I DID NOT PRACTICE WHAT I PREACH -- NAMELY, TO CHK THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO FOR AGREEMENT WITH RWY. 3) FATIGUE, IMPATIENCE, WX AND A MILD CASE OF GET HOMEITIS PLAYED A ROLE. I WILL PAY MORE ATTN NEXT TIME.

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.