A low time C172 pilot landed on a taxiway. Error admitted.

Attributes
ACN	351869
Time
Date	199610
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sat
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 11 flight time total : 113 flight time type : 16
ASRS Report	351869
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was instructed to 'head for downtown,' then turn 300 degrees. Pilot replied that, due to twilight/haze, building known as tower of america could not be idented. Approach gave vectors to 'right downwind runway 12R.' position lights were on. Instructed to 'descend and maintain 2500 ft.' visual contact was made with airport out right window, but no approach lighting was seen. Dimming light from left made details hard to see. Approach instructed 'follow traffic on final approach,' -- visual contact with larger jet confirmed, pilot turned base leg approach, 'cleared to land, runway 12R.' after pilot set up and descending on base leg, tower instructed 'runway 12L, cleared to land.' this was last tower communication till after touchdown. Lights for runway 12L not clearly visible. On passing runway 12R, pilot began right turn with right wing blocking view. On pulling out of 90 degree turn, rectangular pavement, was centered in runway, twilight (low) available light from 90 degree radial. Color of lights not discernible. Pilot focused on line-up. Color of lights, blue, and centerline not discernible till just before touchdown. Factors: 1) pilot less than 200 hour first solo arrival after sundown, 2) pilot 3 solo approach to sat including incident, 3) landing in post sundown gloom. Light colors unclear, and 4) pilot tired after am flight, full work day. Pilot is transferring operations to smaller airport in area. Has arranged for instruction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME C172 PLT LANDED ON A TXWY. ERROR ADMITTED.

Narrative: I WAS INSTRUCTED TO 'HEAD FOR DOWNTOWN,' THEN TURN 300 DEGS. PLT REPLIED THAT, DUE TO TWILIGHT/HAZE, BUILDING KNOWN AS TWR OF AMERICA COULD NOT BE IDENTED. APCH GAVE VECTORS TO 'R DOWNWIND RWY 12R.' POS LIGHTS WERE ON. INSTRUCTED TO 'DSND AND MAINTAIN 2500 FT.' VISUAL CONTACT WAS MADE WITH ARPT OUT R WINDOW, BUT NO APCH LIGHTING WAS SEEN. DIMMING LIGHT FROM L MADE DETAILS HARD TO SEE. APCH INSTRUCTED 'FOLLOW TFC ON FINAL APCH,' -- VISUAL CONTACT WITH LARGER JET CONFIRMED, PLT TURNED BASE LEG APCH, 'CLRED TO LAND, RWY 12R.' AFTER PLT SET UP AND DSNDING ON BASE LEG, TWR INSTRUCTED 'RWY 12L, CLRED TO LAND.' THIS WAS LAST TWR COM TILL AFTER TOUCHDOWN. LIGHTS FOR RWY 12L NOT CLEARLY VISIBLE. ON PASSING RWY 12R, PLT BEGAN R TURN WITH R WING BLOCKING VIEW. ON PULLING OUT OF 90 DEG TURN, RECTANGULAR PAVEMENT, WAS CTRED IN RWY, TWILIGHT (LOW) AVAILABLE LIGHT FROM 90 DEG RADIAL. COLOR OF LIGHTS NOT DISCERNIBLE. PLT FOCUSED ON LINE-UP. COLOR OF LIGHTS, BLUE, AND CTRLINE NOT DISCERNIBLE TILL JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. FACTORS: 1) PLT LESS THAN 200 HR FIRST SOLO ARR AFTER SUNDOWN, 2) PLT 3 SOLO APCH TO SAT INCLUDING INCIDENT, 3) LNDG IN POST SUNDOWN GLOOM. LIGHT COLORS UNCLEAR, AND 4) PLT TIRED AFTER AM FLT, FULL WORK DAY. PLT IS TRANSFERRING OPS TO SMALLER ARPT IN AREA. HAS ARRANGED FOR INSTRUCTION.

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.