Small aircraft on approach to pbi landed on taxiway left when cleared to land on runway 27L.

Attributes
ACN	754257
Time
Date	200709
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pbi.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 6
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time total : 6800
ASRS Report	754257
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
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 was cleared to land on runway 27L at pbi airport. I lined up with what I thought was the runway and made a normal approach and landing only to find out after landing that I was actually on the taxiway on the north side of the runway. The tower told me that I was certainly not the first person to make that mistake; indicating that 30 or more people have done the same thing since the new taxiway opened. A colleague of mine landed on the same runway about 30 mins later and almost did the same thing. The only thing that stopped him was that workers were now on the taxiway doing some routine repairs. When he saw them he realized he wasn't lined up on the runway. The confusion arises from the fact that the taxiway is actually wider and longer than the runway and the markings look forever like tire landing marks at each end making you think it's a runway. I suggest that a large lit 'X' be placed in front of the taxiway on each end. I've seen ones that stand up and are very visible from the air; especially on an approach. There is lots of room at each end for this and it wouldn't interfere with any landing or taxiing traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON APCH TO PBI LANDED ON TXWY L WHEN CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 27L.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 27L AT PBI ARPT. I LINED UP WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE RWY AND MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG ONLY TO FIND OUT AFTER LNDG THAT I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE TXWY ON THE N SIDE OF THE RWY. THE TWR TOLD ME THAT I WAS CERTAINLY NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO MAKE THAT MISTAKE; INDICATING THAT 30 OR MORE PEOPLE HAVE DONE THE SAME THING SINCE THE NEW TXWY OPENED. A COLLEAGUE OF MINE LANDED ON THE SAME RWY ABOUT 30 MINS LATER AND ALMOST DID THE SAME THING. THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED HIM WAS THAT WORKERS WERE NOW ON THE TXWY DOING SOME ROUTINE REPAIRS. WHEN HE SAW THEM HE REALIZED HE WASN'T LINED UP ON THE RWY. THE CONFUSION ARISES FROM THE FACT THAT THE TXWY IS ACTUALLY WIDER AND LONGER THAN THE RWY AND THE MARKINGS LOOK FOREVER LIKE TIRE LNDG MARKS AT EACH END MAKING YOU THINK IT'S A RWY. I SUGGEST THAT A LARGE LIT 'X' BE PLACED IN FRONT OF THE TXWY ON EACH END. I'VE SEEN ONES THAT STAND UP AND ARE VERY VISIBLE FROM THE AIR; ESPECIALLY ON AN APCH. THERE IS LOTS OF ROOM AT EACH END FOR THIS AND IT WOULDN'T INTERFERE WITH ANY LNDG OR TAXIING TFC.

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.