Narrative:

While on a downwind leg for landing runway 32 at salt lake, was informed by the tower controller that I was to pass behind an airliner on final for runway 34R, that I was cleared to land runway 32. Our downwind was to be over redwood road which is east of runway 34R and parallel to runway 34R. After I accepted clearance to land, I noticed 2 aircraft that appeared to be on final for runway 34R. I again asked the controller what was to be done, stating that I had an aircraft at my 1 O'clock and at my 4 O'clock positions as I remained on assigned downwind. I was told to follow the aircraft on final for the 'right' meaning runway 34R. I seeing 2 aircraft on final approachs, and with safety in mind decided that I must follow the second aircraft Y I saw rather that do what I felt was 'squeeze between them.' so I attempted to follow the second aircraft Y on final, at which point the controller issued me a hard right turn to a heading of 020. The controller then asked me why I was making an approach to runway 34L, he asked if I was familiar with the airport, and that runway 32 was the diagonal runway. I then continued inbound for runway 32 and landed without incident. I asked the controller for a phone conversation. 2 aircraft were on final approach - 1 for runway 34R and 1 for runway 34L. 1 was on a 2 mi final the other about a 6 mi final. Because the controller failed to inform me that there were 2 aircraft on final for parallel runways, I attempted to follow the 1 farthest out. It seems that an illusion took place for me. I was not informed that 2 aircraft were on parallel approachs. It was night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOWED WRONG ACFT AND MADE APCH TO WRONG RWY. PLTDEV.

Narrative: WHILE ON A DOWNWIND LEG FOR LNDG RWY 32 AT SALT LAKE, WAS INFORMED BY THE TWR CTLR THAT I WAS TO PASS BEHIND AN AIRLINER ON FINAL FOR RWY 34R, THAT I WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 32. OUR DOWNWIND WAS TO BE OVER REDWOOD ROAD WHICH IS E OF RWY 34R AND PARALLEL TO RWY 34R. AFTER I ACCEPTED CLRNC TO LAND, I NOTICED 2 ACFT THAT APPEARED TO BE ON FINAL FOR RWY 34R. I AGAIN ASKED THE CTLR WHAT WAS TO BE DONE, STATING THAT I HAD AN ACFT AT MY 1 O'CLOCK AND AT MY 4 O'CLOCK POSITIONS AS I REMAINED ON ASSIGNED DOWNWIND. I WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW THE ACFT ON FINAL FOR THE 'R' MEANING RWY 34R. I SEEING 2 ACFT ON FINAL APCHS, AND WITH SAFETY IN MIND DECIDED THAT I MUST FOLLOW THE SECOND ACFT Y I SAW RATHER THAT DO WHAT I FELT WAS 'SQUEEZE BTWN THEM.' SO I ATTEMPTED TO FOLLOW THE SECOND ACFT Y ON FINAL, AT WHICH POINT THE CTLR ISSUED ME A HARD R TURN TO A HDG OF 020. THE CTLR THEN ASKED ME WHY I WAS MAKING AN APCH TO RWY 34L, HE ASKED IF I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT, AND THAT RWY 32 WAS THE DIAGONAL RWY. I THEN CONTINUED INBOUND FOR RWY 32 AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I ASKED THE CTLR FOR A PHONE CONVERSATION. 2 ACFT WERE ON FINAL APCH - 1 FOR RWY 34R AND 1 FOR RWY 34L. 1 WAS ON A 2 MI FINAL THE OTHER ABOUT A 6 MI FINAL. BECAUSE THE CTLR FAILED TO INFORM ME THAT THERE WERE 2 ACFT ON FINAL FOR PARALLEL RWYS, I ATTEMPTED TO FOLLOW THE 1 FARTHEST OUT. IT SEEMS THAT AN ILLUSION TOOK PLACE FOR ME. I WAS NOT INFORMED THAT 2 ACFT WERE ON PARALLEL APCHS. IT WAS NIGHT.

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.