Reporter error admitted in atx ferry flight making a wrong runway approach landing.

Attributes
ACN	358802
Time
Date	199701
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : apa
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 1750 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	358802
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I am scheduled to fly from front range to den at around XA00 local. I called tower on the ground and received a class B clearance and squawk. I then departed front range and immediately contacted den tower. The clearance on the ground instructed me to enter a left downwind to runway 17L and I read that back. Once in the air, tower again instructed me to enter a left downwind to runway 17L. Again I read it back 'left downwind runway 17L.' I was cleared to land runway 17L and I believe I said cleared runway 17L. I have ferried this aircraft 7 times from front range to den and whenever I landed to the south I was given runway 17R. My mind was so set to land runway 17R due to habit that the runway 17L clearance did not register in my mind. Tower said 'well, you landed on the wrong runway, taxi to M5.' tower told aircraft behind me to go around. I already touched down and knew of no corrective action but to taxi to M5 as fast as possible. I perceived runway 17R was the runway I was cleared to land just out of habit. I can not explain how I could say something without hearing myself. From the time I lifted off until touchdown was 5 mins. During those 5 mins I was looking for traffic, looking for the airport, going through takeoff, climb, descent, and before landing checklists. I was concentrating more on aviating and navigating then communicating. Often times at night or during poor visibility I set up the ILS for the appropriate runway. On this flight I did not do that. I believe if I did that I would have caught or at least had a better chance of discovering my error. A factor affecting my performance during flight was my workload in 5 mins. However, that is not an excuse because I was given the runway to expect on the ground. Another possible factor was emotion and stress. 2 days earlier I learned I had an interview with a commuter. I informed my present employer and learned that day I would lose my present job if I took the interview.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ERROR ADMITTED IN ATX FERRY FLT MAKING A WRONG RWY APCH LNDG.

Narrative: I AM SCHEDULED TO FLY FROM FRONT RANGE TO DEN AT AROUND XA00 LCL. I CALLED TWR ON THE GND AND RECEIVED A CLASS B CLRNC AND SQUAWK. I THEN DEPARTED FRONT RANGE AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED DEN TWR. THE CLRNC ON THE GND INSTRUCTED ME TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 17L AND I READ THAT BACK. ONCE IN THE AIR, TWR AGAIN INSTRUCTED ME TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 17L. AGAIN I READ IT BACK 'L DOWNWIND RWY 17L.' I WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 17L AND I BELIEVE I SAID CLRED RWY 17L. I HAVE FERRIED THIS ACFT 7 TIMES FROM FRONT RANGE TO DEN AND WHENEVER I LANDED TO THE S I WAS GIVEN RWY 17R. MY MIND WAS SO SET TO LAND RWY 17R DUE TO HABIT THAT THE RWY 17L CLRNC DID NOT REGISTER IN MY MIND. TWR SAID 'WELL, YOU LANDED ON THE WRONG RWY, TAXI TO M5.' TWR TOLD ACFT BEHIND ME TO GAR. I ALREADY TOUCHED DOWN AND KNEW OF NO CORRECTIVE ACTION BUT TO TAXI TO M5 AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. I PERCEIVED RWY 17R WAS THE RWY I WAS CLRED TO LAND JUST OUT OF HABIT. I CAN NOT EXPLAIN HOW I COULD SAY SOMETHING WITHOUT HEARING MYSELF. FROM THE TIME I LIFTED OFF UNTIL TOUCHDOWN WAS 5 MINS. DURING THOSE 5 MINS I WAS LOOKING FOR TFC, LOOKING FOR THE ARPT, GOING THROUGH TKOF, CLB, DSCNT, AND BEFORE LNDG CHKLISTS. I WAS CONCENTRATING MORE ON AVIATING AND NAVING THEN COMMUNICATING. OFTEN TIMES AT NIGHT OR DURING POOR VISIBILITY I SET UP THE ILS FOR THE APPROPRIATE RWY. ON THIS FLT I DID NOT DO THAT. I BELIEVE IF I DID THAT I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT OR AT LEAST HAD A BETTER CHANCE OF DISCOVERING MY ERROR. A FACTOR AFFECTING MY PERFORMANCE DURING FLT WAS MY WORKLOAD IN 5 MINS. HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT AN EXCUSE BECAUSE I WAS GIVEN THE RWY TO EXPECT ON THE GND. ANOTHER POSSIBLE FACTOR WAS EMOTION AND STRESS. 2 DAYS EARLIER I LEARNED I HAD AN INTERVIEW WITH A COMMUTER. I INFORMED MY PRESENT EMPLOYER AND LEARNED THAT DAY I WOULD LOSE MY PRESENT JOB IF I TOOK THE INTERVIEW.

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.