Narrative:

I was a little shaky after being vectored around some thunderstorms that included moderate to severe turbulence and moderate icing. I was given a vector to intercept ILS runway 26 at den. Shortly after the localizer intercept I was in VMC with 6000 ft visibility and the airport in sight; but windshear was continuous. I called the field in sight and was told to continue. Somewhere inside the marker I was given a circle to land to runway 17L. I called runway in sight and was told it was okay to widen to the north; but I guess I saw runway 16; not runway 17. After noticing my mistake I asked for a vector; but didn't hear anything. I asked again and was told to turn east. At that time I saw runway 17L and was cleared to land. No mention was made of anything; but I feel I should write this because the tower gave me a circling instruction at the last minute and I didn't really have time to get organized. I saw a south runway; but it was the wrong runway. I saw runway 16; not runway 17. After the previous thunderstorms and turbulence; as well as a long day; and the fact that I was single pilot; I'm glad I'm still here; and I'm glad it wasn't night and IMC. In the future I'll concentrate more on the airport diagram; as well as a better preflight briefing. The busier airports are challenging single pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: KING AIR PLT ON APCH TO RWY 26 AT DEN IN VMC IS INSTRUCTED TO CIRCLE TO RWY 17L. RWY 16L IS SIGHTED INITIALLY CAUSING A CIRCUITOUS ROUTE TO LAND 17L.

Narrative: I WAS A LITTLE SHAKY AFTER BEING VECTORED AROUND SOME THUNDERSTORMS THAT INCLUDED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE AND MODERATE ICING. I WAS GIVEN A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT ILS RWY 26 AT DEN. SHORTLY AFTER THE LOC INTERCEPT I WAS IN VMC WITH 6000 FT VISIBILITY AND THE ARPT IN SIGHT; BUT WINDSHEAR WAS CONTINUOUS. I CALLED THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE. SOMEWHERE INSIDE THE MARKER I WAS GIVEN A CIRCLE TO LAND TO RWY 17L. I CALLED RWY IN SIGHT AND WAS TOLD IT WAS OKAY TO WIDEN TO THE N; BUT I GUESS I SAW RWY 16; NOT RWY 17. AFTER NOTICING MY MISTAKE I ASKED FOR A VECTOR; BUT DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING. I ASKED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TO TURN E. AT THAT TIME I SAW RWY 17L AND WAS CLEARED TO LAND. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF ANYTHING; BUT I FEEL I SHOULD WRITE THIS BECAUSE THE TWR GAVE ME A CIRCLING INSTRUCTION AT THE LAST MINUTE AND I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO GET ORGANIZED. I SAW A S RWY; BUT IT WAS THE WRONG RWY. I SAW RWY 16; NOT RWY 17. AFTER THE PREVIOUS THUNDERSTORMS AND TURBULENCE; AS WELL AS A LONG DAY; AND THE FACT THAT I WAS SINGLE PLT; I'M GLAD I'M STILL HERE; AND I'M GLAD IT WASN'T NIGHT AND IMC. IN THE FUTURE I'LL CONCENTRATE MORE ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM; AS WELL AS A BETTER PREFLT BRIEFING. THE BUSIER ARPTS ARE CHALLENGING SINGLE PLT.

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.