C152 student pilot; on first solo cross country; touches down on closed runway at mkc.

Attributes
ACN	676348
Time
Date	200510
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mkc.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mkc.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 27 flight time type : 27
ASRS Report	676348
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : executed go around flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I started on my first cross country solo flight to my first stop at mkc. I had been to mkc before but had only landed on runway 3. I checked the airport ATIS information before I left and was given information that they were landing on runway 3. The wind was out of the wnw. As I approached mkc approximately 10 mi out; I called to mkc and idented my plane and location. They advised me to report at 2 mi; downwind runway 21. This was confusing because the wind was at 080 degrees at 8 or 9 KTS. I knew the wind was favoring runway 3. I had planned my flight to line up with runway 3. I was told that I was lined up on the wrong runway and they asked me to turn north for a downwind for runway 21. Before landing on runway 21; I looked at my flight plan and idented it on the airport diagram that I printed for my trip. I reported at 2 mi where I was advised to fly downwind of runway 21 and report base for runway 21. As I flew downwind for runway 21; I idented what I thought was the runway and called the tower to report base. They cleared me right base and then for final on runway 21. I could not see the runway numbers until short final. I noticed the 'X' right on top of the numbers; which I know means closed runway. I quickly scanned the area for another runway; looked at my heading and it appeared that I was on the right heading for runway 21. I looked to the left; or east; and noticed what looked like a taxiway; and looked hard for a '21' number. At that point I knew I needed to go around but I hesitated. I could not locate runway 21 and briefly touched down on what I found out was runway 19 that was closed. I was initiating a go around as I was called by the tower and told to go around; because I landed on the wrong runway. As soon as I saw the 'X;' I should not have hesitated. I should have gone to full power for a go around.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 STUDENT PLT; ON FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY; TOUCHES DOWN ON CLOSED RWY AT MKC.

Narrative: I STARTED ON MY FIRST XCOUNTRY SOLO FLT TO MY FIRST STOP AT MKC. I HAD BEEN TO MKC BEFORE BUT HAD ONLY LANDED ON RWY 3. I CHKED THE ARPT ATIS INFO BEFORE I LEFT AND WAS GIVEN INFO THAT THEY WERE LNDG ON RWY 3. THE WIND WAS OUT OF THE WNW. AS I APCHED MKC APPROX 10 MI OUT; I CALLED TO MKC AND IDENTED MY PLANE AND LOCATION. THEY ADVISED ME TO RPT AT 2 MI; DOWNWIND RWY 21. THIS WAS CONFUSING BECAUSE THE WIND WAS AT 080 DEGS AT 8 OR 9 KTS. I KNEW THE WIND WAS FAVORING RWY 3. I HAD PLANNED MY FLT TO LINE UP WITH RWY 3. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS LINED UP ON THE WRONG RWY AND THEY ASKED ME TO TURN N FOR A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 21. BEFORE LNDG ON RWY 21; I LOOKED AT MY FLT PLAN AND IDENTED IT ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM THAT I PRINTED FOR MY TRIP. I RPTED AT 2 MI WHERE I WAS ADVISED TO FLY DOWNWIND OF RWY 21 AND RPT BASE FOR RWY 21. AS I FLEW DOWNWIND FOR RWY 21; I IDENTED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE RWY AND CALLED THE TWR TO RPT BASE. THEY CLRED ME R BASE AND THEN FOR FINAL ON RWY 21. I COULD NOT SEE THE RWY NUMBERS UNTIL SHORT FINAL. I NOTICED THE 'X' RIGHT ON TOP OF THE NUMBERS; WHICH I KNOW MEANS CLOSED RWY. I QUICKLY SCANNED THE AREA FOR ANOTHER RWY; LOOKED AT MY HDG AND IT APPEARED THAT I WAS ON THE RIGHT HDG FOR RWY 21. I LOOKED TO THE L; OR E; AND NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE A TXWY; AND LOOKED HARD FOR A '21' NUMBER. AT THAT POINT I KNEW I NEEDED TO GO AROUND BUT I HESITATED. I COULD NOT LOCATE RWY 21 AND BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN ON WHAT I FOUND OUT WAS RWY 19 THAT WAS CLOSED. I WAS INITIATING A GAR AS I WAS CALLED BY THE TWR AND TOLD TO GO AROUND; BECAUSE I LANDED ON THE WRONG RWY. AS SOON AS I SAW THE 'X;' I SHOULD NOT HAVE HESITATED. I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO FULL PWR FOR A GAR.

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.