Narrative:

I was PIC on an far 135 cargo run hauling checks to phl. This was a single pilot operation in an small transport and was a time-critical run due to a federal reserve deadline. I was delayed by a line of heavy thunderstorms over the departure field. After the line had passed, I departed. The WX conditions for the 45 min flight were ceilings of 6000-10000' and visibilities of 8-10 mi outside of the remaining scattered thunderstorms. Once airborne, on an IFR flight plan, I discovered the WX radar was inoperative. I deviated as necessary to maintain VMC in order to maintain visibility sep from the thunderstorms. ATC was helpful, but I was very busy for the entire flight. 8 mi from phl I sighted the airport and was cleared for a visibility approach to runway 35 to follow an large transport on the ILS 27. The large transport which initially had been in my 5 O'clock position passed me and landed as I turned final. I had difficulty lining up with runway 35 because the lighting seemed poor, but having landed on 35 the 3 previous times I flew the run--I was confident I had the runway. On short final, I noticed that there was no edge lighting or VASI, and that the centerline lights were green. Although none of this seemed correct, I was sure I had the runway. I rationalized that the edge lights and VASI had been knocked out by lightning. Airport maintenance vehs on the tower frequency discussing lighting problems lent credence to my theory. It never occurred to me to check the dg. Then the controller asked if I had 35 in sight. I replied, 'affirmative.' in the flare, the controller again asked if I had 35 in sight and I again replied, 'affirmative.' until the nose wheel lowered and I saw the yellow painted centerline, I refused to let go of my belief that I was looking at 35. At this point, I immediately braked as much as possible and checked the dg, which indicated 320 degrees. Where the taxiway crossed 35, I made a right turn onto 35 and proceeded normally. After shutdown, I checked the airport diagram and determined that I had landed on taxiway echo. I believe the primary causes of this event were my stressful flight around thunderstorms west/O radar, and my mindset that I indeed had 35 in sight. In spite of the evidence--no edge lights, no VASI and green centerline lights--I refused to believe that it was not 35. From now on, I will go around if there is any doubt about the runway, and I will also check my dg on takeoff and landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARGO CARRYING SMT LANDS ON TXWY AT PHL.

Narrative: I WAS PIC ON AN FAR 135 CARGO RUN HAULING CHKS TO PHL. THIS WAS A SINGLE PLT OPERATION IN AN SMT AND WAS A TIME-CRITICAL RUN DUE TO A FEDERAL RESERVE DEADLINE. I WAS DELAYED BY A LINE OF HVY TSTMS OVER THE DEP FIELD. AFTER THE LINE HAD PASSED, I DEPARTED. THE WX CONDITIONS FOR THE 45 MIN FLT WERE CEILINGS OF 6000-10000' AND VISIBILITIES OF 8-10 MI OUTSIDE OF THE REMAINING SCATTERED TSTMS. ONCE AIRBORNE, ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, I DISCOVERED THE WX RADAR WAS INOP. I DEVIATED AS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN VMC IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN VIS SEP FROM THE TSTMS. ATC WAS HELPFUL, BUT I WAS VERY BUSY FOR THE ENTIRE FLT. 8 MI FROM PHL I SIGHTED THE ARPT AND WAS CLRED FOR A VIS APCH TO RWY 35 TO FOLLOW AN LGT ON THE ILS 27. THE LGT WHICH INITIALLY HAD BEEN IN MY 5 O'CLOCK POS PASSED ME AND LANDED AS I TURNED FINAL. I HAD DIFFICULTY LINING UP WITH RWY 35 BECAUSE THE LIGHTING SEEMED POOR, BUT HAVING LANDED ON 35 THE 3 PREVIOUS TIMES I FLEW THE RUN--I WAS CONFIDENT I HAD THE RWY. ON SHORT FINAL, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO EDGE LIGHTING OR VASI, AND THAT THE CENTERLINE LIGHTS WERE GREEN. ALTHOUGH NONE OF THIS SEEMED CORRECT, I WAS SURE I HAD THE RWY. I RATIONALIZED THAT THE EDGE LIGHTS AND VASI HAD BEEN KNOCKED OUT BY LIGHTNING. ARPT MAINT VEHS ON THE TWR FREQ DISCUSSING LIGHTING PROBS LENT CREDENCE TO MY THEORY. IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME TO CHK THE DG. THEN THE CTLR ASKED IF I HAD 35 IN SIGHT. I REPLIED, 'AFFIRMATIVE.' IN THE FLARE, THE CTLR AGAIN ASKED IF I HAD 35 IN SIGHT AND I AGAIN REPLIED, 'AFFIRMATIVE.' UNTIL THE NOSE WHEEL LOWERED AND I SAW THE YELLOW PAINTED CENTERLINE, I REFUSED TO LET GO OF MY BELIEF THAT I WAS LOOKING AT 35. AT THIS POINT, I IMMEDIATELY BRAKED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND CHKED THE DG, WHICH INDICATED 320 DEGS. WHERE THE TXWY CROSSED 35, I MADE A RIGHT TURN ONTO 35 AND PROCEEDED NORMALLY. AFTER SHUTDOWN, I CHKED THE ARPT DIAGRAM AND DETERMINED THAT I HAD LANDED ON TXWY ECHO. I BELIEVE THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF THIS EVENT WERE MY STRESSFUL FLT AROUND TSTMS W/O RADAR, AND MY MINDSET THAT I INDEED HAD 35 IN SIGHT. IN SPITE OF THE EVIDENCE--NO EDGE LIGHTS, NO VASI AND GREEN CENTERLINE LIGHTS--I REFUSED TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS NOT 35. FROM NOW ON, I WILL GO AROUND IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT ABOUT THE RWY, AND I WILL ALSO CHK MY DG ON TKOF AND LNDG.

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.