Local controller disputes clearance of mdt to land runway 12L instead of 12R.

Attributes
ACN	144975
Time
Date	199005
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cgx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 4000
ASRS Report	144975
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway incursion : landing without clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Received visibility approach clearance for runway 12R and handed over to hou tower. First officer contacted tower and told them we were on the visibility to the runway 12L at which time he corrected his mistake. The tower said we were cleared to land on 12R, but 12L was available. We said, 'fine, we will take the left,' and understood clearance to land on the left, then proceeded with the approach and landed west/O incident on 12L. Upon rollout tower said for our information west were cleared for 12R, not 12L. Our reply was that we understood we were cleared for the 12L. I talked to the tower via landline and they were adamant about their position. I also asked if they were going to pursue this issued. They said no. I apologized for any misunderstanding on our part, but reiterated that we understood the left--conversation ended.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LCL CTLR DISPUTES CLRNC OF MDT TO LAND RWY 12L INSTEAD OF 12R.

Narrative: RECEIVED VIS APCH CLRNC FOR RWY 12R AND HANDED OVER TO HOU TWR. F/O CONTACTED TWR AND TOLD THEM WE WERE ON THE VIS TO THE RWY 12L AT WHICH TIME HE CORRECTED HIS MISTAKE. THE TWR SAID WE WERE CLRED TO LAND ON 12R, BUT 12L WAS AVAILABLE. WE SAID, 'FINE, WE WILL TAKE THE LEFT,' AND UNDERSTOOD CLRNC TO LAND ON THE LEFT, THEN PROCEEDED WITH THE APCH AND LANDED W/O INCIDENT ON 12L. UPON ROLLOUT TWR SAID FOR OUR INFO W WERE CLRED FOR 12R, NOT 12L. OUR REPLY WAS THAT WE UNDERSTOOD WE WERE CLRED FOR THE 12L. I TALKED TO THE TWR VIA LANDLINE AND THEY WERE ADAMANT ABOUT THEIR POS. I ALSO ASKED IF THEY WERE GOING TO PURSUE THIS ISSUED. THEY SAID NO. I APOLOGIZED FOR ANY MISUNDERSTANDING ON OUR PART, BUT REITERATED THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THE LEFT--CONVERSATION ENDED.

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