Narrative:

On a dual cross country with a student pilot (bih to rno), tuned in ATIS information yankee about 30 NM southeast of rno, with 5 mins of the new ATIS. It stated 'landing and departing 16R.' knowing that 16L has been closed for construction for the last 1 1/2 yrs, I assumed that it still was. My 'mindset' was that we would land 16R. By the time we entered the pattern the left runway was reopened and we were cleared to land 16L. I 'heard' 16R and followed a 727 to landing. There was no loss of separation. I didn't know that there was a problem until after landing and was told to 'call the tower.' I feel a number of things happened to cause this situation. The runway (16L) was closed when we heard the ATIS. The runway was reopened before we landed. I was expecting to hear 16R and 'heard' what I expected. The distraction of a student pilot's nervousness at using the radio at other than an uncontrolled airport and his acknowledging with the 'tail number' only. That distraction prevented me from questioning xmissions that 'didn't sound right' and assumed it was okay. To prevent this from happening again, I recommend the following. Acknowledge every runway transmission with that runway number. When a runway is reopened, like this, make sure pilots know it. Make pilots acknowledge with runway numbers, everytime. If they don't make them verify. To prevent the above sits, don't allow cockpit distrs to distract you. Don't 'expect' anything, always listen to and 'hear' what is said.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT ON A DUAL XCOUNTRY LANDS ON THE WRONG PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: ON A DUAL XCOUNTRY WITH A STUDENT PLT (BIH TO RNO), TUNED IN ATIS INFO YANKEE ABOUT 30 NM SE OF RNO, WITH 5 MINS OF THE NEW ATIS. IT STATED 'LNDG AND DEPARTING 16R.' KNOWING THAT 16L HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION FOR THE LAST 1 1/2 YRS, I ASSUMED THAT IT STILL WAS. MY 'MINDSET' WAS THAT WE WOULD LAND 16R. BY THE TIME WE ENTERED THE PATTERN THE L RWY WAS REOPENED AND WE WERE CLRED TO LAND 16L. I 'HEARD' 16R AND FOLLOWED A 727 TO LNDG. THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEPARATION. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A PROB UNTIL AFTER LNDG AND WAS TOLD TO 'CALL THE TWR.' I FEEL A NUMBER OF THINGS HAPPENED TO CAUSE THIS SIT. THE RWY (16L) WAS CLOSED WHEN WE HEARD THE ATIS. THE RWY WAS REOPENED BEFORE WE LANDED. I WAS EXPECTING TO HEAR 16R AND 'HEARD' WHAT I EXPECTED. THE DISTR OF A STUDENT PLT'S NERVOUSNESS AT USING THE RADIO AT OTHER THAN AN UNCTLED ARPT AND HIS ACKNOWLEDGING WITH THE 'TAIL NUMBER' ONLY. THAT DISTR PREVENTED ME FROM QUESTIONING XMISSIONS THAT 'DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT' AND ASSUMED IT WAS OKAY. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING. ACKNOWLEDGE EVERY RWY XMISSION WITH THAT RWY NUMBER. WHEN A RWY IS REOPENED, LIKE THIS, MAKE SURE PLTS KNOW IT. MAKE PLTS ACKNOWLEDGE WITH RWY NUMBERS, EVERYTIME. IF THEY DON'T MAKE THEM VERIFY. TO PREVENT THE ABOVE SITS, DON'T ALLOW COCKPIT DISTRS TO DISTRACT YOU. DON'T 'EXPECT' ANYTHING, ALWAYS LISTEN TO AND 'HEAR' WHAT IS SAID.

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.