Narrative:

Was on instrument flight from bend, or, to pdx airport. Broke out of clouds at approximately 5000 ft and was given a visual to runway 10R. Was asked to make a right downwind to runway 10R. While still at approximately 3500 ft was asked to cross over the field and make a left downwind to runway 10L. Because of the confusion on shifting runways I crossed over the field, made a left downwind while attempting to lose nearly 3000 ft of altitude. While turning left base for runway 10L I observed a small commuter airline making an approach for runway 10R and just followed him in to runway 10R. I thought the controller had asked me to follow him in. As I lined up on final about 1 mi out, I asked the controller if I was to land on runway 10R because I was unclr at that moment. She said 'negative' and asked the airplane behind me to go around. I still had space to shift to runway 10L or go around but felt her response meant I should continue landing on runway 10R. No other incident or close call arose and I taxied to the airport terminal per the ground controller's instructions. I believe I was not as attentive as necessary and in the absence of any other instructions or communication while landing, the controller was not attentive. Because of my high altitude over the airport I had not been cleared to a lower altitude until I was given a 'visual' to land on runway 10R. Even as my instructions were changed to runway 10L I had to rapidly lose altitude on my downwind and base leg and it was just a natural to descend down to runway 10R. It also appeared the controller was trying to compensate for my location over the airport after my release from approach control and may have misjudged my altitude. We were both in error in my opinion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LANDS WRONG RWY, USES PARALLEL.

Narrative: WAS ON INST FLT FROM BEND, OR, TO PDX ARPT. BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS AT APPROX 5000 FT AND WAS GIVEN A VISUAL TO RWY 10R. WAS ASKED TO MAKE A R DOWNWIND TO RWY 10R. WHILE STILL AT APPROX 3500 FT WAS ASKED TO CROSS OVER THE FIELD AND MAKE A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 10L. BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSION ON SHIFTING RWYS I CROSSED OVER THE FIELD, MADE A L DOWNWIND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LOSE NEARLY 3000 FT OF ALT. WHILE TURNING L BASE FOR RWY 10L I OBSERVED A SMALL COMMUTER AIRLINE MAKING AN APCH FOR RWY 10R AND JUST FOLLOWED HIM IN TO RWY 10R. I THOUGHT THE CTLR HAD ASKED ME TO FOLLOW HIM IN. AS I LINED UP ON FINAL ABOUT 1 MI OUT, I ASKED THE CTLR IF I WAS TO LAND ON RWY 10R BECAUSE I WAS UNCLR AT THAT MOMENT. SHE SAID 'NEGATIVE' AND ASKED THE AIRPLANE BEHIND ME TO GAR. I STILL HAD SPACE TO SHIFT TO RWY 10L OR GAR BUT FELT HER RESPONSE MEANT I SHOULD CONTINUE LNDG ON RWY 10R. NO OTHER INCIDENT OR CLOSE CALL AROSE AND I TAXIED TO THE ARPT TERMINAL PER THE GND CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. I BELIEVE I WAS NOT AS ATTENTIVE AS NECESSARY AND IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY OTHER INSTRUCTIONS OR COM WHILE LNDG, THE CTLR WAS NOT ATTENTIVE. BECAUSE OF MY HIGH ALT OVER THE ARPT I HAD NOT BEEN CLRED TO A LOWER ALT UNTIL I WAS GIVEN A 'VISUAL' TO LAND ON RWY 10R. EVEN AS MY INSTRUCTIONS WERE CHANGED TO RWY 10L I HAD TO RAPIDLY LOSE ALT ON MY DOWNWIND AND BASE LEG AND IT WAS JUST A NATURAL TO DSND DOWN TO RWY 10R. IT ALSO APPEARED THE CTLR WAS TRYING TO COMPENSATE FOR MY LOCATION OVER THE ARPT AFTER MY RELEASE FROM APCH CTL AND MAY HAVE MISJUDGED MY ALT. WE WERE BOTH IN ERROR IN MY OPINION.

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.