Small aircraft pilot flying at night mistakes taxiway for runway. Executes go around.

Attributes
ACN	219780
Time
Date	199208
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sat
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 31 flight time total : 98
ASRS Report	219780
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The final leg (crp-sat) of my daytime cross country trip was delayed in crp secondary to mechanical problems with the carburetor heat control. As my flying experience in other than daylight conditions was limited, I originally planned on arriving at my destination airport (sat) approximately XA30 local time. However, due to the time it took to repair the carburetor heat control in crp, I was unable to leave crp until XB40 local time. The crp-sat leg was uneventful until on final approach to sat. I was instructed to enter a right base for 12R and given clearance to land 12R by sat approach then sat tower. I had the field in sight and was oriented during the base leg, however when I turned final for 12R, I lost sight of 12L and assumed that 12R (which I was lined up on) must be 12L. Being partially disoriented, I altered my final leg to the right, looking for 12R. By doing this I was lined up with taxiway G (which is parallel to and to the right of 12R). I made a high approach and was at approximately 300 AGL flying over taxiway G when I saw 2 planes on that taxiway, saw them flash their landing lights, reinterpreted the blue taxiway lights and immediately made a go around with the tower instructing me to make left traffic for 12L. I landed uneventfully on 12L. I was not in immediate danger of colliding with those planes on taxiway G as I had made a higher final approach leg to get a better view of the area. I realize that I need to be more fully aware of the appearance of the airport environment in other than daylight conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLYING AT NIGHT MISTAKES TAXIWAY FOR RWY. EXECUTES GAR.

Narrative: THE FINAL LEG (CRP-SAT) OF MY DAYTIME XCOUNTRY TRIP WAS DELAYED IN CRP SECONDARY TO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE CARB HEAT CTL. AS MY FLYING EXPERIENCE IN OTHER THAN DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS WAS LIMITED, I ORIGINALLY PLANNED ON ARRIVING AT MY DEST ARPT (SAT) APPROX XA30 LCL TIME. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE TIME IT TOOK TO REPAIR THE CARB HEAT CTL IN CRP, I WAS UNABLE TO LEAVE CRP UNTIL XB40 LCL TIME. THE CRP-SAT LEG WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL ON FINAL APCH TO SAT. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO ENTER A R BASE FOR 12R AND GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND 12R BY SAT APCH THEN SAT TWR. I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND WAS ORIENTED DURING THE BASE LEG, HOWEVER WHEN I TURNED FINAL FOR 12R, I LOST SIGHT OF 12L AND ASSUMED THAT 12R (WHICH I WAS LINED UP ON) MUST BE 12L. BEING PARTIALLY DISORIENTED, I ALTERED MY FINAL LEG TO THE R, LOOKING FOR 12R. BY DOING THIS I WAS LINED UP WITH TAXIWAY G (WHICH IS PARALLEL TO AND TO THE R OF 12R). I MADE A HIGH APCH AND WAS AT APPROX 300 AGL FLYING OVER TAXIWAY G WHEN I SAW 2 PLANES ON THAT TAXIWAY, SAW THEM FLASH THEIR LNDG LIGHTS, REINTERPRETED THE BLUE TAXIWAY LIGHTS AND IMMEDIATELY MADE A GAR WITH THE TWR INSTRUCTING ME TO MAKE L TFC FOR 12L. I LANDED UNEVENTFULLY ON 12L. I WAS NOT IN IMMEDIATE DANGER OF COLLIDING WITH THOSE PLANES ON TAXIWAY G AS I HAD MADE A HIGHER FINAL APCH LEG TO GET A BETTER VIEW OF THE AREA. I REALIZE THAT I NEED TO BE MORE FULLY AWARE OF THE APPEARANCE OF THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT IN OTHER THAN DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS.

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.