Pilot of C172 lands on taxiway. Sun position blinds him on turn to final. No conflict.

Attributes
ACN	388858
Time
Date	199712
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 43 flight time total : 735 flight time type : 730
ASRS Report	388858
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to land runway 19L iad. Controller wanted close in approach. Sun in eyes on turn to final and final. Mistook taxiway for runway. Due to the close approach, little time on final to correct error. I was blinded long enough by the sun to get trapped on wrong approach to landing. I was on a left base for runway 19L further out earlier. However, the controller wanted me to fly directly to the airport. I would like to discuss this incident with an analyst over the phone. I don't know how to correct this problem other than getting some additional flight instruction on close in work into the sun at a large airport. I will certainly get this additional instruction promptly. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the aircraft is a C172. The FSDO has contacted him and he will probably make a visit to the local office. He has taken some training regarding close and unusual approach procedures. The incident occurred when the sun was at its lowest on the horizon during the winter months. The reporter landed on taxiway. Runway had been changed from landing north to landing south. His approach was altered by ATC to be short and tight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C172 LANDS ON TXWY. SUN POS BLINDS HIM ON TURN TO FINAL. NO CONFLICT.

Narrative: CLRED TO LAND RWY 19L IAD. CTLR WANTED CLOSE IN APCH. SUN IN EYES ON TURN TO FINAL AND FINAL. MISTOOK TXWY FOR RWY. DUE TO THE CLOSE APCH, LITTLE TIME ON FINAL TO CORRECT ERROR. I WAS BLINDED LONG ENOUGH BY THE SUN TO GET TRAPPED ON WRONG APCH TO LNDG. I WAS ON A L BASE FOR RWY 19L FURTHER OUT EARLIER. HOWEVER, THE CTLR WANTED ME TO FLY DIRECTLY TO THE ARPT. I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS INCIDENT WITH AN ANALYST OVER THE PHONE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CORRECT THIS PROB OTHER THAN GETTING SOME ADDITIONAL FLT INSTRUCTION ON CLOSE IN WORK INTO THE SUN AT A LARGE ARPT. I WILL CERTAINLY GET THIS ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION PROMPTLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE ACFT IS A C172. THE FSDO HAS CONTACTED HIM AND HE WILL PROBABLY MAKE A VISIT TO THE LCL OFFICE. HE HAS TAKEN SOME TRAINING REGARDING CLOSE AND UNUSUAL APCH PROCS. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE SUN WAS AT ITS LOWEST ON THE HORIZON DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. THE RPTR LANDED ON TXWY. RWY HAD BEEN CHANGED FROM LNDG N TO LNDG S. HIS APCH WAS ALTERED BY ATC TO BE SHORT AND TIGHT.

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.