VFR small aircraft pilot landed on taxiway left at pbi when assigned runway 27L.

Attributes
ACN	668941
Time
Date	200508
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pbi.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 698 flight time type : 681
ASRS Report	668941
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This incident occurred on a return trip from marsh harbor in the bahamas. The skies were basically clear and the visibility was excellent en route. I was on a VFR flight plan at 8500 ft. I was handed over to palm beach approach by ZMA. I was asked if I wanted to land on runway 27R or runway 27L. I chose runway 27L as my destination was customs. I had been descending and slowed my airspeed to about 120 KTS. The landing gear was down. I was asked to call when I saw the runway or airport. I'm not sure which. I was also asked to maintain my best speed so I increased the speed to about 140-145 KTS. I was asked by the controller if I had the field and I said I thought I did; but it was very hazy and that I was fling into the sun (late afternoon). I first idented runway 27R; then I thought I had idented runway 27L with a taxiway to the left of it. I landed and rolled out. Ground told me to make a left turn and cross runway 27L and taxi to customs. That is when I realized I had landed on taxiway left. Contributing factors: usually; when I return from the bahamas; I land to the east. Almost always on runway 9R. This was essentially a new experience for me. I also believe that trying to maintain as fast a speed as possible until so close to landing may have been somewhat of a distraction. The limited visibility of flying in haze toward the sun was definitely a problem on the approach. Corrective action: 1) review airport diagram before landing. The facts are clearly stated on page 10-9 of the west palm beach approach plates. Things change; so do this even at familiar airports. 2) pay closer attention to the entire ATIS. The message was loud and clear when I listened to the ATIS after I cleared customs and was ready to depart. 3) learn to better handle distrs or turn down a request that might cause distraction; eg; fly faster on approach. 4) I have already talked with my instructor and we plan to have a discussion on further ways to avoid this in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR SMA PLT LANDED ON TXWY L AT PBI WHEN ASSIGNED RWY 27L.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A RETURN TRIP FROM MARSH HARBOR IN THE BAHAMAS. THE SKIES WERE BASICALLY CLR AND THE VISIBILITY WAS EXCELLENT ENRTE. I WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN AT 8500 FT. I WAS HANDED OVER TO PALM BEACH APCH BY ZMA. I WAS ASKED IF I WANTED TO LAND ON RWY 27R OR RWY 27L. I CHOSE RWY 27L AS MY DEST WAS CUSTOMS. I HAD BEEN DSNDING AND SLOWED MY AIRSPD TO ABOUT 120 KTS. THE LNDG GEAR WAS DOWN. I WAS ASKED TO CALL WHEN I SAW THE RWY OR ARPT. I'M NOT SURE WHICH. I WAS ALSO ASKED TO MAINTAIN MY BEST SPD SO I INCREASED THE SPD TO ABOUT 140-145 KTS. I WAS ASKED BY THE CTLR IF I HAD THE FIELD AND I SAID I THOUGHT I DID; BUT IT WAS VERY HAZY AND THAT I WAS FLING INTO THE SUN (LATE AFTERNOON). I FIRST IDENTED RWY 27R; THEN I THOUGHT I HAD IDENTED RWY 27L WITH A TXWY TO THE L OF IT. I LANDED AND ROLLED OUT. GND TOLD ME TO MAKE A L TURN AND CROSS RWY 27L AND TAXI TO CUSTOMS. THAT IS WHEN I REALIZED I HAD LANDED ON TXWY L. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: USUALLY; WHEN I RETURN FROM THE BAHAMAS; I LAND TO THE E. ALMOST ALWAYS ON RWY 9R. THIS WAS ESSENTIALLY A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ME. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT TRYING TO MAINTAIN AS FAST A SPD AS POSSIBLE UNTIL SO CLOSE TO LNDG MAY HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A DISTR. THE LIMITED VISIBILITY OF FLYING IN HAZE TOWARD THE SUN WAS DEFINITELY A PROB ON THE APCH. CORRECTIVE ACTION: 1) REVIEW ARPT DIAGRAM BEFORE LNDG. THE FACTS ARE CLRLY STATED ON PAGE 10-9 OF THE WEST PALM BEACH APCH PLATES. THINGS CHANGE; SO DO THIS EVEN AT FAMILIAR ARPTS. 2) PAY CLOSER ATTN TO THE ENTIRE ATIS. THE MESSAGE WAS LOUD AND CLR WHEN I LISTENED TO THE ATIS AFTER I CLRED CUSTOMS AND WAS READY TO DEPART. 3) LEARN TO BETTER HANDLE DISTRS OR TURN DOWN A REQUEST THAT MIGHT CAUSE DISTR; EG; FLY FASTER ON APCH. 4) I HAVE ALREADY TALKED WITH MY INSTRUCTOR AND WE PLAN TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON FURTHER WAYS TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.