Narrative:

Filed IFR. Solid IFR, rain, cloud-to-cloud, lightning, turbulence. ATIS said runway 36L ILS and runway 36R localizer in use. Approach said 'cleared for localizer runway 36R. Contact the tower.' I broke out in heavy rain, poor visibility, with the admonition 'keep your speed up, a jet behind you.' I landed and rolled swiftly on runway 6R, blue lights whizzing by. Asked tower 'do you want me to turn right here?' tower stated 'yes, turn there.' I did. Tower asked, 'where are you?' I advised I had turned off on taxiway. Tower asked again 'where are you?!' I replied 'heading to FBO.' tower said 'stop and say nearest sign!' I stated 'I see sign F9/27.' tower said 'you incurred an active runway.' I did not, but saw the sign in the distance. I told tower that 'you told me to turn there.' after a long silence, tower stated 'we didn't know where you were,' then more silence. Tower then said 'proceed to FBO.' (runway 9/27 was not on the ATIS as active.) towers forget that small planes like a PA30, I only situation about 36 inches off the ground, being hard to see in a sea of lights. Makes it difficult for all concerned with heavy rain and poor visibility, and throw in 'keep your speed up.' I followed instructions, did as told by tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR IS CONFUSED DURING A NIGHT OP AS TO THE LOCATION OF A PA30 WHEN TFC SIGHTED IS LOST AFTER LNDG AT TPA, FL.

Narrative: FILED IFR. SOLID IFR, RAIN, CLOUD-TO-CLOUD, LIGHTNING, TURB. ATIS SAID RWY 36L ILS AND RWY 36R LOC IN USE. APCH SAID 'CLRED FOR LOC RWY 36R. CONTACT THE TWR.' I BROKE OUT IN HVY RAIN, POOR VISIBILITY, WITH THE ADMONITION 'KEEP YOUR SPD UP, A JET BEHIND YOU.' I LANDED AND ROLLED SWIFTLY ON RWY 6R, BLUE LIGHTS WHIZZING BY. ASKED TWR 'DO YOU WANT ME TO TURN R HERE?' TWR STATED 'YES, TURN THERE.' I DID. TWR ASKED, 'WHERE ARE YOU?' I ADVISED I HAD TURNED OFF ON TXWY. TWR ASKED AGAIN 'WHERE ARE YOU?!' I REPLIED 'HDG TO FBO.' TWR SAID 'STOP AND SAY NEAREST SIGN!' I STATED 'I SEE SIGN F9/27.' TWR SAID 'YOU INCURRED AN ACTIVE RWY.' I DID NOT, BUT SAW THE SIGN IN THE DISTANCE. I TOLD TWR THAT 'YOU TOLD ME TO TURN THERE.' AFTER A LONG SILENCE, TWR STATED 'WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE YOU WERE,' THEN MORE SILENCE. TWR THEN SAID 'PROCEED TO FBO.' (RWY 9/27 WAS NOT ON THE ATIS AS ACTIVE.) TWRS FORGET THAT SMALL PLANES LIKE A PA30, I ONLY SIT ABOUT 36 INCHES OFF THE GND, BEING HARD TO SEE IN A SEA OF LIGHTS. MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR ALL CONCERNED WITH HVY RAIN AND POOR VISIBILITY, AND THROW IN 'KEEP YOUR SPD UP.' I FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS, DID AS TOLD BY TWR.

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.