GA small aircraft lands on taxiway at phx.

Attributes
ACN	451500
Time
Date	199910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : vacating altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 7200 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	451500
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar / visual other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared on approach to runway 26R. Other aircraft landing on runway 26L. Tower requested a right 360 degree turn on final to clear aircraft at end of runway. I was landing into a sunset and could not see the end of the runway. 2 jets (airliner types) passed me on my left, landing on what appeared to be runway 26L. Tower said I would be cleared to land on runway 26R at about 1/2 mi on final, as soon as aircraft cleared the runway. I was lined up on what appeared to be a taxiway (it was) at less than 1/2 mi (approximately 1/4 mi). On final, to taxiway, I was cleared to land. I thought this was unusual, but I had just had a similar experience at oshkosh on runway 30 in jul/99, where they had a runway 30L and runway 30R. I was told to land on runway 30R. It appeared to be a taxiway, just exactly like sky harbor. At the last min, approximately 1/4 mi on final, I cleared left and landed on runway 26L. The tower said that I was supposed to land on runway 26R. I said there was only a taxiway there. They said that today it's a runway 26R. I had not been into either airport before.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA LANDS ON TXWY AT PHX.

Narrative: CLRED ON APCH TO RWY 26R. OTHER ACFT LNDG ON RWY 26L. TWR REQUESTED A R 360 DEG TURN ON FINAL TO CLR ACFT AT END OF RWY. I WAS LNDG INTO A SUNSET AND COULD NOT SEE THE END OF THE RWY. 2 JETS (AIRLINER TYPES) PASSED ME ON MY L, LNDG ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE RWY 26L. TWR SAID I WOULD BE CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 26R AT ABOUT 1/2 MI ON FINAL, AS SOON AS ACFT CLRED THE RWY. I WAS LINED UP ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE A TXWY (IT WAS) AT LESS THAN 1/2 MI (APPROX 1/4 MI). ON FINAL, TO TXWY, I WAS CLRED TO LAND. I THOUGHT THIS WAS UNUSUAL, BUT I HAD JUST HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE AT OSHKOSH ON RWY 30 IN JUL/99, WHERE THEY HAD A RWY 30L AND RWY 30R. I WAS TOLD TO LAND ON RWY 30R. IT APPEARED TO BE A TXWY, JUST EXACTLY LIKE SKY HARBOR. AT THE LAST MIN, APPROX 1/4 MI ON FINAL, I CLRED L AND LANDED ON RWY 26L. THE TWR SAID THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO LAND ON RWY 26R. I SAID THERE WAS ONLY A TXWY THERE. THEY SAID THAT TODAY IT'S A RWY 26R. I HAD NOT BEEN INTO EITHER ARPT BEFORE.

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.