An atx pilot landed on a taxiway in fairbanks, ak. Taxiway landing.

Attributes
ACN	218945
Time
Date	199208
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fai
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fai artcc : msp
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 2500
ASRS Report	218945
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

An atx small aircraft returned to fai because of deteriorating WX en route. The pilot was new to the airport and the FBO. He was distracted by thoughts of 'ridicule' by his employer for turning back again. At 16 DME, he turned back, obtained the ATIS, and requested clearance to land. The ATIS indicated that runway 19L was closed. Tower offered him 'ski strip' 19L, a gravel runway directly south of runway 19L. IFR traffic inbound to runway 19R was to be face to face with the small aircraft. The IFR traffic was to be making a left turn in to 19R, while the reporter was to be making right turn to 'ski strip' 19L. The other traffic distracted the small aircraft. The small aircraft lined up with what he thought was 'ski strip' 19L and landed on taxiway 'east,' a gravel taxiway that parallels hard surface of runway 19L. An FAA inspector was in the tower. He approached the small aircraft to find out why he happened to land on taxiway 'east' when he had been cleared to land on a perfectly good runway 'ski strip 19L.' the small aircraft pilot is seeking counseling. The pilot thinks that the tower should have been more helpful in preventing his landing on taxiway 'east.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATX PLT LANDED ON A TAXIWAY IN FAIRBANKS, AK. TAXIWAY LNDG.

Narrative: AN ATX SMA RETURNED TO FAI BECAUSE OF DETERIORATING WX ENRTE. THE PLT WAS NEW TO THE ARPT AND THE FBO. HE WAS DISTRACTED BY THOUGHTS OF 'RIDICULE' BY HIS EMPLOYER FOR TURNING BACK AGAIN. AT 16 DME, HE TURNED BACK, OBTAINED THE ATIS, AND REQUESTED CLRNC TO LAND. THE ATIS INDICATED THAT RWY 19L WAS CLOSED. TWR OFFERED HIM 'SKI STRIP' 19L, A GRAVEL RWY DIRECTLY S OF RWY 19L. IFR TFC INBOUND TO RWY 19R WAS TO BE FACE TO FACE WITH THE SMA. THE IFR TFC WAS TO BE MAKING A L TURN IN TO 19R, WHILE THE RPTR WAS TO BE MAKING R TURN TO 'SKI STRIP' 19L. THE OTHER TFC DISTRACTED THE SMA. THE SMA LINED UP WITH WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS 'SKI STRIP' 19L AND LANDED ON TAXIWAY 'E,' A GRAVEL TAXIWAY THAT PARALLELS HARD SURFACE OF RWY 19L. AN FAA INSPECTOR WAS IN THE TWR. HE APCHED THE SMA TO FIND OUT WHY HE HAPPENED TO LAND ON TAXIWAY 'E' WHEN HE HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND ON A PERFECTLY GOOD RWY 'SKI STRIP 19L.' THE SMA PLT IS SEEKING COUNSELING. THE PLT THINKS THAT THE TWR SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL IN PREVENTING HIS LNDG ON TAXIWAY 'E.'

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.