BE35 pilot misinterps clearance to follow traffic as a change to his landing clearance.

Attributes
ACN	545761
Time
Date	200204
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dvt.airport
State Reference	AZ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p50.tracon tower : dvt.tower tower : dvt.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : dvt.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 11 flight time total : 493 flight time type : 83
ASRS Report	545761
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2. I crossed ZZZ3 class B airspace coming from XXX VOR. When approaching ZZZ2, ZZZ3 approach canceled my IFR clearance (I was not aware they could do that) and handed me off to dvt tower. Tower cleared me to runway 25L. Soon after tower advised I was to follow a cessna which was going to runway 25R. I assumed I had misunderstood landing instructions and switched to runway 25R. On short final, tower asked which runway I was on. I responded 'to runway 25R' and was told runway 25L was my assigned runway. I sidestepped and landed without event. I was unfamiliar with the area and was not expecting to have my IFR canceled which contributed to the event. I should not have assumed the runway and should have verified my assigned runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 PLT MISINTERPS CLRNC TO FOLLOW TFC AS A CHANGE TO HIS LNDG CLRNC.

Narrative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

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.