Approach to wrong runway, confusion due in part to phraseology.

Attributes
ACN	104075
Time
Date	198902
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rhv
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rhv tower : cgx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1150 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	104075
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After departure from san jose, the tower handed me off to rhv after leaving 500' MSL. After contacting rhv tower, I was given instructions that were broken up and I thought I heard, 'cleared to land on the left.' I called back for clarification and asked, 'was that cleared for the left?' the tower replied, 'affirmative, cleared for the left.' since sjc was using runway 12, I was making a straight in approach for 13L at rhv. When I was about 1 mi final 13L, rhv tower called me and said that runway 31 was the active and to make a right downwind for 31R. At that time I acknowledged, turned toward the left and climbed from 800' to pattern altitude of 1100' and entered right downwind and base and landed. The confusion was caused when the initial call up to rhv tower was broken up and I asked the question if I was 'cleared for the left.' the controller must have assumed that I knew that 31 was the active instead of 13 since he didn't say cleared for '31' left. I should have asked if I was cleared for '13' left instead of saying just cleared for the 'left.' either one of us could have avoided the miscom by inserting the runway number in front of the 'left' when I called back for clarification of clearance. From this point on all of my communications will include the runway number and hopefully the controllers will also do the same.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH TO WRONG RWY, CONFUSION DUE IN PART TO PHRASEOLOGY.

Narrative: AFTER DEP FROM SAN JOSE, THE TWR HANDED ME OFF TO RHV AFTER LEAVING 500' MSL. AFTER CONTACTING RHV TWR, I WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS THAT WERE BROKEN UP AND I THOUGHT I HEARD, 'CLRED TO LAND ON THE LEFT.' I CALLED BACK FOR CLARIFICATION AND ASKED, 'WAS THAT CLRED FOR THE LEFT?' THE TWR REPLIED, 'AFFIRMATIVE, CLRED FOR THE LEFT.' SINCE SJC WAS USING RWY 12, I WAS MAKING A STRAIGHT IN APCH FOR 13L AT RHV. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 1 MI FINAL 13L, RHV TWR CALLED ME AND SAID THAT RWY 31 WAS THE ACTIVE AND TO MAKE A RIGHT DOWNWIND FOR 31R. AT THAT TIME I ACKNOWLEDGED, TURNED TOWARD THE LEFT AND CLBED FROM 800' TO PATTERN ALT OF 1100' AND ENTERED RIGHT DOWNWIND AND BASE AND LANDED. THE CONFUSION WAS CAUSED WHEN THE INITIAL CALL UP TO RHV TWR WAS BROKEN UP AND I ASKED THE QUESTION IF I WAS 'CLRED FOR THE LEFT.' THE CTLR MUST HAVE ASSUMED THAT I KNEW THAT 31 WAS THE ACTIVE INSTEAD OF 13 SINCE HE DIDN'T SAY CLRED FOR '31' LEFT. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED IF I WAS CLRED FOR '13' LEFT INSTEAD OF SAYING JUST CLRED FOR THE 'LEFT.' EITHER ONE OF US COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE MISCOM BY INSERTING THE RWY NUMBER IN FRONT OF THE 'LEFT' WHEN I CALLED BACK FOR CLARIFICATION OF CLRNC. FROM THIS POINT ON ALL OF MY COMS WILL INCLUDE THE RWY NUMBER AND HOPEFULLY THE CTLRS WILL ALSO DO THE SAME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.