Narrative:

I contacted approach with my altitude and was given instructions to identify and to descend at my discretion no lower than 5800, avoid hill field (an AFB to the north of slc), and plan straight-in to 16L. I didn't have the airport in sight and was tuned to the slc VOR 150 radial, staying slightly left of course and 9 mi from the airport. I was crossing the approach of 16R. Shortly, the controller tells me to contact the tower and when I did, tower said I was lined up on 16R and to turn immediately to east for traffic that he would tell me when to turn right to 16L. Now I am realizing something is not right. I thought I may be being confused with another aircraft because I have already crossed 16R approach path, now heading 090 and passing 16L and heading for mountains. After a min or two I was just about to ask if I could turn back to the right, the controller said to make a right turn back to 16L. (When I repeated this back, I mistakenly said 16R, but corrected the callback to 16L.) I could also sense that the tower was irritated as he again stressed 16L and that there was landing traffic on 16R. I acknowledged. I lined up with the taxiway thinking it was 16L. I was even crowding to the left keeping in mind the landing traffic on 16R. The tower then gave me a wind and wind shear advisory and reports from air carriers on same. I acknowledged and proceeded on about a 2 mi final. At about 30' off the ground, I realized I was lined up on the taxiway. I considered my options which were switching to the right to land on 16L, go around, or land on the taxiway. I decided switching to the right to land on 16L would be too dangerous due to a small plane holding short of 16L for takeoff and also the wind conditions were too unstable (33 KTS, gusting approximately 180 degree). A go-around, I decided would be risky due to the slow airspeed at this point and the existing wind conditions. Since there was no traffic north the taxiway, I determined the only safe choice I had was to land on the taxiway. After landing, the tower asked if I happened to land north the taxiway. I responded that was affirmative, whereby he told me to let him know when I could copy a phone number.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LANDS ON TXWY AT SLC.

Narrative: I CONTACTED APCH WITH MY ALT AND WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO IDENT AND TO DSND AT MY DISCRETION NO LOWER THAN 5800, AVOID HILL FIELD (AN AFB TO THE N OF SLC), AND PLAN STRAIGHT-IN TO 16L. I DIDN'T HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND WAS TUNED TO THE SLC VOR 150 RADIAL, STAYING SLIGHTLY LEFT OF COURSE AND 9 MI FROM THE ARPT. I WAS XING THE APCH OF 16R. SHORTLY, THE CTLR TELLS ME TO CONTACT THE TWR AND WHEN I DID, TWR SAID I WAS LINED UP ON 16R AND TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO E FOR TFC THAT HE WOULD TELL ME WHEN TO TURN RIGHT TO 16L. NOW I AM REALIZING SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. I THOUGHT I MAY BE BEING CONFUSED WITH ANOTHER ACFT BECAUSE I HAVE ALREADY CROSSED 16R APCH PATH, NOW HDG 090 AND PASSING 16L AND HDG FOR MOUNTAINS. AFTER A MIN OR TWO I WAS JUST ABOUT TO ASK IF I COULD TURN BACK TO THE RIGHT, THE CTLR SAID TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN BACK TO 16L. (WHEN I REPEATED THIS BACK, I MISTAKENLY SAID 16R, BUT CORRECTED THE CALLBACK TO 16L.) I COULD ALSO SENSE THAT THE TWR WAS IRRITATED AS HE AGAIN STRESSED 16L AND THAT THERE WAS LNDG TFC ON 16R. I ACKNOWLEDGED. I LINED UP WITH THE TXWY THINKING IT WAS 16L. I WAS EVEN CROWDING TO THE LEFT KEEPING IN MIND THE LNDG TFC ON 16R. THE TWR THEN GAVE ME A WIND AND WIND SHEAR ADVISORY AND REPORTS FROM AIR CARRIERS ON SAME. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND PROCEEDED ON ABOUT A 2 MI FINAL. AT ABOUT 30' OFF THE GND, I REALIZED I WAS LINED UP ON THE TXWY. I CONSIDERED MY OPTIONS WHICH WERE SWITCHING TO THE RIGHT TO LAND ON 16L, GO AROUND, OR LAND ON THE TXWY. I DECIDED SWITCHING TO THE RIGHT TO LAND ON 16L WOULD BE TOO DANGEROUS DUE TO A SMALL PLANE HOLDING SHORT OF 16L FOR TKOF AND ALSO THE WIND CONDITIONS WERE TOO UNSTABLE (33 KTS, GUSTING APPROX 180 DEG). A GO-AROUND, I DECIDED WOULD BE RISKY DUE TO THE SLOW AIRSPEED AT THIS POINT AND THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS. SINCE THERE WAS NO TFC N THE TXWY, I DETERMINED THE ONLY SAFE CHOICE I HAD WAS TO LAND ON THE TXWY. AFTER LNDG, THE TWR ASKED IF I HAPPENED TO LAND N THE TXWY. I RESPONDED THAT WAS AFFIRMATIVE, WHEREBY HE TOLD ME TO LET HIM KNOW WHEN I COULD COPY A PHONE NUMBER.

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.