Narrative:

I was told by ATC to stay west of I-25 and report mid-field downwind; which I did. This approach makes runway 17R the closest runway. Controller said he would call my base leg; which he did; and I was given clearance to land runway 17L. I turned base; got a visual on both runways; and turned final for the closest runway. I even confirmed with the controller that I was cleared to land runway 17L which he confirmed. I continued my descent. At approximately 300 ft AGL; a low wing aircraft appeared slightly above and in front of me. I noted to tower that I was on the wrong runway. Tower said I could sidestep to runway 17L. The other plane initiated a go around veering slightly right. I started a shallow turn to the left; adding power; but his propeller wash caused the right wing to lift unexpectedly. I fought for positive control of the aircraft. I re-established a positive rate of climb over runway 17L. Tower stated I could land runway 28; which I elected to do. I fly primarily to small; untwred airports so I was also very conscious of my radio communication with the tower -- almost to the point of distraction. I had landed earlier on runway 17R to meet my friend for lunch and his first small plane experience. During our flight; he thought that lndgs would be the most fun part of flying because of the challenges. On returning to the airport to drop him off; I was unconsciously expecting to use the runway closest to me and was concentrating on making a really smooth landing for my friend. Lining up on the wrong runway was a total lapse of situational awareness and could have ended very badly. There were a number of distrs but no excuses.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PILOT ON RIGHT DOWNWIND IS CLEARED TO LAND ON RWY 17L AT APA BUT LINES UP FOR 17R; CAUSING NMAC WITH LOW WING ACFT LANDING 17R.

Narrative: I WAS TOLD BY ATC TO STAY W OF I-25 AND RPT MID-FIELD DOWNWIND; WHICH I DID. THIS APCH MAKES RWY 17R THE CLOSEST RWY. CTLR SAID HE WOULD CALL MY BASE LEG; WHICH HE DID; AND I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND RWY 17L. I TURNED BASE; GOT A VISUAL ON BOTH RWYS; AND TURNED FINAL FOR THE CLOSEST RWY. I EVEN CONFIRMED WITH THE CTLR THAT I WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 17L WHICH HE CONFIRMED. I CONTINUED MY DSCNT. AT APPROX 300 FT AGL; A LOW WING ACFT APPEARED SLIGHTLY ABOVE AND IN FRONT OF ME. I NOTED TO TWR THAT I WAS ON THE WRONG RWY. TWR SAID I COULD SIDESTEP TO RWY 17L. THE OTHER PLANE INITIATED A GAR VEERING SLIGHTLY R. I STARTED A SHALLOW TURN TO THE L; ADDING PWR; BUT HIS PROP WASH CAUSED THE R WING TO LIFT UNEXPECTEDLY. I FOUGHT FOR POSITIVE CTL OF THE ACFT. I RE-ESTABLISHED A POSITIVE RATE OF CLB OVER RWY 17L. TWR STATED I COULD LAND RWY 28; WHICH I ELECTED TO DO. I FLY PRIMARILY TO SMALL; UNTWRED ARPTS SO I WAS ALSO VERY CONSCIOUS OF MY RADIO COM WITH THE TWR -- ALMOST TO THE POINT OF DISTR. I HAD LANDED EARLIER ON RWY 17R TO MEET MY FRIEND FOR LUNCH AND HIS FIRST SMALL PLANE EXPERIENCE. DURING OUR FLT; HE THOUGHT THAT LNDGS WOULD BE THE MOST FUN PART OF FLYING BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES. ON RETURNING TO THE ARPT TO DROP HIM OFF; I WAS UNCONSCIOUSLY EXPECTING TO USE THE RWY CLOSEST TO ME AND WAS CONCENTRATING ON MAKING A REALLY SMOOTH LNDG FOR MY FRIEND. LINING UP ON THE WRONG RWY WAS A TOTAL LAPSE OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND COULD HAVE ENDED VERY BADLY. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF DISTRS BUT NO EXCUSES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.