Small transport makes right approach for left runway, lands on wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	309330
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tys
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tys
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1350
ASRS Report	309330
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I made a mistake, but an ATC nonstandard procedure contributed. I was told I was the second airplane to make the same mistake in 30 mins, but ATC didn't seem to have a clue why. I was instructed by ATIS to expect runway 23L and told by approach to enter a right base to runway 23L which I acknowledged. I was on a heading of 80 degrees from mem from the west. Upon my shift to tower, my first and only contact was 'right base, cleared to land runway 23L.' when I was still 3 NM southwest, I acknowledged right base runway 23L. My path put me in a right downwind on the north side of runway 23R. For airport orientation I was looking at the 'flight guide' publication of tys which depicts a right base to runway 23R and a left base to runway 23L. This is the customary scheme in my experience for airports with parallel runways. Therefore when I did a right base from a right downwind outside runway 23R, habit took over and I, in error, turned on a fairly long final to runway 23R, the nearest runway, instead of crossing longer on right base to runway 23L. Although I made a fairly long final approach clearly lined to runway 23R, tower never mentioned my mistake until I was safely on the ground. Fortunately there was no incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT MAKES R APCH FOR L RWY, LANDS ON WRONG RWY.

Narrative: I MADE A MISTAKE, BUT AN ATC NONSTANDARD PROC CONTRIBUTED. I WAS TOLD I WAS THE SECOND AIRPLANE TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE IN 30 MINS, BUT ATC DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE A CLUE WHY. I WAS INSTRUCTED BY ATIS TO EXPECT RWY 23L AND TOLD BY APCH TO ENTER A R BASE TO RWY 23L WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED. I WAS ON A HDG OF 80 DEGS FROM MEM FROM THE W. UPON MY SHIFT TO TWR, MY FIRST AND ONLY CONTACT WAS 'R BASE, CLRED TO LAND RWY 23L.' WHEN I WAS STILL 3 NM SW, I ACKNOWLEDGED R BASE RWY 23L. MY PATH PUT ME IN A R DOWNWIND ON THE N SIDE OF RWY 23R. FOR ARPT ORIENTATION I WAS LOOKING AT THE 'FLT GUIDE' PUB OF TYS WHICH DEPICTS A R BASE TO RWY 23R AND A L BASE TO RWY 23L. THIS IS THE CUSTOMARY SCHEME IN MY EXPERIENCE FOR ARPTS WITH PARALLEL RWYS. THEREFORE WHEN I DID A R BASE FROM A R DOWNWIND OUTSIDE RWY 23R, HABIT TOOK OVER AND I, IN ERROR, TURNED ON A FAIRLY LONG FINAL TO RWY 23R, THE NEAREST RWY, INSTEAD OF XING LONGER ON R BASE TO RWY 23L. ALTHOUGH I MADE A FAIRLY LONG FINAL APCH CLRLY LINED TO RWY 23R, TWR NEVER MENTIONED MY MISTAKE UNTIL I WAS SAFELY ON THE GND. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO INCIDENT.

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.