Narrative:

With a tight time schedule to meet a pilot at sjc for his BFR flight, I departed pao downwind direct to sjc via moffett NAS. (Air traffic area transition.) I was a little busy flying an airplane that I was plting for the first time (48+ hours in make and model...zero). After moffett, I entered a left downwind for sjc runway 29, per sjc tower clearance. I was cleared to land and went directly to runway 30L, made a 'professional' landing not even realizing what runway I was on, until tower instructed me to 'turn left, hold short of runway 29, contact ground point 7.' what a terrible feeling! I have never even been close to allowing an event like that to occur in my plting career. I was shocked and puzzled with my behavior/performance. No harm was done, no conflicts occurred and ATC didn't ask me to contact them. I called the sjc tower when the controller was off shift and discussed the event with her and apologized for the error. She said no report would be filed and that no harm was done. I have flown (and lived) in this area all my life, so the airports and runways are all very familiar to me. I guess I was so focused on landing to get to my appointment, that the largest runway caught my attention, the approach path was clear and I landed. It appears to be a good lesson and 'wake up' call to be even more alert and vigilant, especially if one is on a tight schedule.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTRUCTOR IN A HURRY, LANDS WRONG RWY.

Narrative: WITH A TIGHT TIME SCHEDULE TO MEET A PLT AT SJC FOR HIS BFR FLT, I DEPARTED PAO DOWNWIND DIRECT TO SJC VIA MOFFETT NAS. (ATA TRANSITION.) I WAS A LITTLE BUSY FLYING AN AIRPLANE THAT I WAS PLTING FOR THE FIRST TIME (48+ HRS IN MAKE AND MODEL...ZERO). AFTER MOFFETT, I ENTERED A L DOWNWIND FOR SJC RWY 29, PER SJC TWR CLRNC. I WAS CLRED TO LAND AND WENT DIRECTLY TO RWY 30L, MADE A 'PROFESSIONAL' LNDG NOT EVEN REALIZING WHAT RWY I WAS ON, UNTIL TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO 'TURN L, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 29, CONTACT GND POINT 7.' WHAT A TERRIBLE FEELING! I HAVE NEVER EVEN BEEN CLOSE TO ALLOWING AN EVENT LIKE THAT TO OCCUR IN MY PLTING CAREER. I WAS SHOCKED AND PUZZLED WITH MY BEHAVIOR/PERFORMANCE. NO HARM WAS DONE, NO CONFLICTS OCCURRED AND ATC DIDN'T ASK ME TO CONTACT THEM. I CALLED THE SJC TWR WHEN THE CTLR WAS OFF SHIFT AND DISCUSSED THE EVENT WITH HER AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE ERROR. SHE SAID NO RPT WOULD BE FILED AND THAT NO HARM WAS DONE. I HAVE FLOWN (AND LIVED) IN THIS AREA ALL MY LIFE, SO THE ARPTS AND RWYS ARE ALL VERY FAMILIAR TO ME. I GUESS I WAS SO FOCUSED ON LNDG TO GET TO MY APPOINTMENT, THAT THE LARGEST RWY CAUGHT MY ATTN, THE APCH PATH WAS CLR AND I LANDED. IT APPEARS TO BE A GOOD LESSON AND 'WAKE UP' CALL TO BE EVEN MORE ALERT AND VIGILANT, ESPECIALLY IF ONE IS ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE.

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.