Narrative:

While on an IFR flight and flying through level 3 and 4 thunderstorms, my radar went inoperative during last 10 mins of flight, which resulted in getting in the middle of a level 4 thunderstorm. While in an updraft at 4000', I informed the controller I could not maintain altitude. This situation was cleared by the controller. No problem--they (approach) held me at 400' until 5 mi from the airdrome of landing. When I received my descend clearance, a bolt of lightning flashed extremely close while in the descent. I broke out OAT 2000' and called the airport in sight. The controller cleared me for a visibility to runway 23, 'call the tower.' I called the tower. They cleared me for the, 'visibility to 23, call turning final.' another bolt of lightning. Sighted 4 extremely high antennas. Lined up with runway 5 instead of 23 and landed. Tower informed me I had landed on wrong runway and west/O clearance to land. This I acknowledged. I called tower. Tower chief asked, 'what shall we do?' I replied, 'I hope nothing, as I was slightly unnerved after the turbulence, wind shears, etc, and then slam-dunked for the airport.' the chief's comment was, 'ok.' this had never happened in over 25000 hours of flying, and I'm glad it occurred at a time when there was little or no traffic. The tower operator could have checked my position and informed me I was lined up on the wrong runway. I am not blaming the tower personnel--only requesting they be more observant during slack periods. And pilots flying in, near or around level 3 and 4 thunderstorms should be collective in their thoughts and not become rattled as I did. I had a long day of flying--6 hours, 5 airports, 3 IMC approachs. There were many factors affecting my cockpit performances, all of which will now be closely observed so they do not occur again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP PLT, WITH RADAR INOP IN LEVEL 3 AND 4 TSTMS, LANDS WRONG RWY.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR FLT AND FLYING THROUGH LEVEL 3 AND 4 TSTMS, MY RADAR WENT INOP DURING LAST 10 MINS OF FLT, WHICH RESULTED IN GETTING IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEVEL 4 TSTM. WHILE IN AN UPDRAFT AT 4000', I INFORMED THE CTLR I COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT. THIS SITUATION WAS CLRED BY THE CTLR. NO PROB--THEY (APCH) HELD ME AT 400' UNTIL 5 MI FROM THE AIRDROME OF LNDG. WHEN I RECEIVED MY DSND CLRNC, A BOLT OF LIGHTNING FLASHED EXTREMELY CLOSE WHILE IN THE DSNT. I BROKE OUT OAT 2000' AND CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT. THE CTLR CLRED ME FOR A VIS TO RWY 23, 'CALL THE TWR.' I CALLED THE TWR. THEY CLRED ME FOR THE, 'VIS TO 23, CALL TURNING FINAL.' ANOTHER BOLT OF LIGHTNING. SIGHTED 4 EXTREMELY HIGH ANTENNAS. LINED UP WITH RWY 5 INSTEAD OF 23 AND LANDED. TWR INFORMED ME I HAD LANDED ON WRONG RWY AND W/O CLRNC TO LAND. THIS I ACKNOWLEDGED. I CALLED TWR. TWR CHIEF ASKED, 'WHAT SHALL WE DO?' I REPLIED, 'I HOPE NOTHING, AS I WAS SLIGHTLY UNNERVED AFTER THE TURB, WIND SHEARS, ETC, AND THEN SLAM-DUNKED FOR THE ARPT.' THE CHIEF'S COMMENT WAS, 'OK.' THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED IN OVER 25000 HRS OF FLYING, AND I'M GLAD IT OCCURRED AT A TIME WHEN THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO TFC. THE TWR OPERATOR COULD HAVE CHKED MY POS AND INFORMED ME I WAS LINED UP ON THE WRONG RWY. I AM NOT BLAMING THE TWR PERSONNEL--ONLY REQUESTING THEY BE MORE OBSERVANT DURING SLACK PERIODS. AND PLTS FLYING IN, NEAR OR AROUND LEVEL 3 AND 4 TSTMS SHOULD BE COLLECTIVE IN THEIR THOUGHTS AND NOT BECOME RATTLED AS I DID. I HAD A LONG DAY OF FLYING--6 HRS, 5 ARPTS, 3 IMC APCHS. THERE WERE MANY FACTORS AFFECTING MY COCKPIT PERFORMANCES, ALL OF WHICH WILL NOW BE CLOSELY OBSERVED SO THEY DO NOT OCCUR AGAIN.

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.