Narrative:

Was receiving flight following on entire flight. Coming in from west to rdu. Keeping in mind 5-6 mi visibility. Controller said she didn't know my heading and said 'steer 210 degrees.' I acknowledged steering 210 degrees and seeing the field. Controller gave another fast message which I had her repeat. 'Report lining up with runway 23L.' I saw 2 asphalt strips. Thinking one was runway 23R the other runway 23L. Seeing runway 23L as a narrow strip I thought it was a sidestep runway for GA. I reported lining up with runway '23L.' controller gave a call. I had her repeat to make sure. 'Clear to land runway 23L.' at a 4-3 mi final I saw no markings, but the VASI indicated proper GS. I concentrated on the landing knowing I was clear to land. The controller said not another word so I knew she was watching and this is how she wanted the landing to proceed. Consequently I landed on the taxiway for runway 23R. As the traffic was light at XA00 am the event was discovered on the ground. The only corrective action was the fact we both did something wrong. Me, not saying anything because she is the boss and the controller not looking. Human consideration leading to event. When I am in direct ATC control I assume my progress is being monitored, especially in a terminal procedure. Laziness on the controller because traffic was light. Solving the problem -- better communication by me when I think a problem exists. Not be intimidated by a fast talking controller as it was my first time at rdu. Controller clearing a plane to land while not knowing its exact location.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C172 LANDS ON TXWY INSTEAD OF L RWY. VISIBILITY WAS 5-6 MI. PLT WAS FLYING AN ANGEL FLT.

Narrative: WAS RECEIVING FLT FOLLOWING ON ENTIRE FLT. COMING IN FROM W TO RDU. KEEPING IN MIND 5-6 MI VISIBILITY. CTLR SAID SHE DIDN'T KNOW MY HEADING AND SAID 'STEER 210 DEGS.' I ACKNOWLEDGED STEERING 210 DEGS AND SEEING THE FIELD. CTLR GAVE ANOTHER FAST MESSAGE WHICH I HAD HER REPEAT. 'RPT LINING UP WITH RWY 23L.' I SAW 2 ASPHALT STRIPS. THINKING ONE WAS RWY 23R THE OTHER RWY 23L. SEEING RWY 23L AS A NARROW STRIP I THOUGHT IT WAS A SIDESTEP RWY FOR GA. I RPTED LINING UP WITH RWY '23L.' CTLR GAVE A CALL. I HAD HER REPEAT TO MAKE SURE. 'CLR TO LAND RWY 23L.' AT A 4-3 MI FINAL I SAW NO MARKINGS, BUT THE VASI INDICATED PROPER GS. I CONCENTRATED ON THE LNDG KNOWING I WAS CLR TO LAND. THE CTLR SAID NOT ANOTHER WORD SO I KNEW SHE WAS WATCHING AND THIS IS HOW SHE WANTED THE LNDG TO PROCEED. CONSEQUENTLY I LANDED ON THE TXWY FOR RWY 23R. AS THE TFC WAS LIGHT AT XA00 AM THE EVENT WAS DISCOVERED ON THE GND. THE ONLY CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS THE FACT WE BOTH DID SOMETHING WRONG. ME, NOT SAYING ANYTHING BECAUSE SHE IS THE BOSS AND THE CTLR NOT LOOKING. HUMAN CONSIDERATION LEADING TO EVENT. WHEN I AM IN DIRECT ATC CTL I ASSUME MY PROGRESS IS BEING MONITORED, ESPECIALLY IN A TERMINAL PROC. LAZINESS ON THE CTLR BECAUSE TFC WAS LIGHT. SOLVING THE PROB -- BETTER COM BY ME WHEN I THINK A PROB EXISTS. NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY A FAST TALKING CTLR AS IT WAS MY FIRST TIME AT RDU. CTLR CLRING A PLANE TO LAND WHILE NOT KNOWING ITS EXACT LOCATION.

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.