Narrative:

Sea approach cleared me for the arrival, runway 16R (a VFR arrival procedure). Approximately 10-12 mi northwest of airport, I switched to sea tower (very quiet frequency at the time) and the controller cleared me direct to the numbers and cleared me to land on runway 16R to follow a brasilia on a 4 mi final. As I approached the airport (approximately 2-3 mi out) the tower called to brasilia traffic over the numbers and again cleared me to land on runway 16R. I began an abbreviated base to final turn for runway 16R and at that point the tower switched the runway clearance to runway 16L (presumably for an easier exit off the runway, as no aircraft was on a close final for runway 16L. I acknowledged the clearance. At this point, I had turned final and was over the approach end of runway 16R. I proceeded to land on runway 16R. On the rollout after touchdown, the tower controller came on frequency and stated 'no harm done, just wanted you to know that I cleared you for the left and you landed on the right.' he cleared me to cross runway 16L and contact ground clear of the runway. I clarified the instructions to cross runway 16L and on the initial call to ground control, was cleared to taxi to parking. As I was taxiing to parking, ground called and stated 'just as a friendly reminder, they'd like you to call the tower.' I proceeded to the gate and phoned the tower from there. After replaying the tapes, the tower felt that 'paperwork' would be processed. As for contributing factors, the sea airspace was unusually quiet at the time of the occurrence. During the majority of my VFR arrs into the airport, traffic has been heavy and requires fast maneuvering into the flow of IFR arrs/traffic. The unusually quiet atmosphere perhaps contributed to a more relaxed situation/ environment where I fell into an almost automated/routine flow of landing on runway 16R. However, I understand that seatac, as other heavily congested airports (from class B's to busy non twred airports) are particularly dynamic environments with much activity and recognize the importance of constant vigilance and adherence to ATC clrncs. Because there was little traffic, perhaps the tower controller could have made a call to me as he saw the obvious mistake occurring, instructed a go around to the left runway (runway 16L) or perhaps could have issued another clearance to land for runway 16R. Ultimately, it is the PIC's responsibility for the safety of flight and for adherence to ATC clrncs, however, perhaps combined vigilance from ATC and pilots alike can contribute to safety in such sits. This occurrence has reminded me of the importance of constant vigilance and of resisting the human trait of 'falling into patterns' and habits. Busy airspace (as any airspace) requires alertness and a recognition that clrncs can change. Safety needs to start at the student pilot level and continue through re-education and reminders as pilots continue through their careers, be it vocation or avocation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG RWY LNDG AT SEA, WA.

Narrative: SEA APCH CLRED ME FOR THE ARR, RWY 16R (A VFR ARR PROC). APPROX 10-12 MI NW OF ARPT, I SWITCHED TO SEA TWR (VERY QUIET FREQ AT THE TIME) AND THE CTLR CLRED ME DIRECT TO THE NUMBERS AND CLRED ME TO LAND ON RWY 16R TO FOLLOW A BRASILIA ON A 4 MI FINAL. AS I APCHED THE ARPT (APPROX 2-3 MI OUT) THE TWR CALLED TO BRASILIA TFC OVER THE NUMBERS AND AGAIN CLRED ME TO LAND ON RWY 16R. I BEGAN AN ABBREVIATED BASE TO FINAL TURN FOR RWY 16R AND AT THAT POINT THE TWR SWITCHED THE RWY CLRNC TO RWY 16L (PRESUMABLY FOR AN EASIER EXIT OFF THE RWY, AS NO ACFT WAS ON A CLOSE FINAL FOR RWY 16L. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC. AT THIS POINT, I HAD TURNED FINAL AND WAS OVER THE APCH END OF RWY 16R. I PROCEEDED TO LAND ON RWY 16R. ON THE ROLLOUT AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE TWR CTLR CAME ON FREQ AND STATED 'NO HARM DONE, JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT I CLRED YOU FOR THE L AND YOU LANDED ON THE R.' HE CLRED ME TO CROSS RWY 16L AND CONTACT GND CLR OF THE RWY. I CLARIFIED THE INSTRUCTIONS TO CROSS RWY 16L AND ON THE INITIAL CALL TO GND CTL, WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO PARKING. AS I WAS TAXIING TO PARKING, GND CALLED AND STATED 'JUST AS A FRIENDLY REMINDER, THEY'D LIKE YOU TO CALL THE TWR.' I PROCEEDED TO THE GATE AND PHONED THE TWR FROM THERE. AFTER REPLAYING THE TAPES, THE TWR FELT THAT 'PAPERWORK' WOULD BE PROCESSED. AS FOR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, THE SEA AIRSPACE WAS UNUSUALLY QUIET AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. DURING THE MAJORITY OF MY VFR ARRS INTO THE ARPT, TFC HAS BEEN HVY AND REQUIRES FAST MANEUVERING INTO THE FLOW OF IFR ARRS/TFC. THE UNUSUALLY QUIET ATMOSPHERE PERHAPS CONTRIBUTED TO A MORE RELAXED SIT/ ENVIRONMENT WHERE I FELL INTO AN ALMOST AUTOMATED/ROUTINE FLOW OF LNDG ON RWY 16R. HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND THAT SEATAC, AS OTHER HEAVILY CONGESTED ARPTS (FROM CLASS B'S TO BUSY NON TWRED ARPTS) ARE PARTICULARLY DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENTS WITH MUCH ACTIVITY AND RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSTANT VIGILANCE AND ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNCS. BECAUSE THERE WAS LITTLE TFC, PERHAPS THE TWR CTLR COULD HAVE MADE A CALL TO ME AS HE SAW THE OBVIOUS MISTAKE OCCURRING, INSTRUCTED A GAR TO THE L RWY (RWY 16L) OR PERHAPS COULD HAVE ISSUED ANOTHER CLRNC TO LAND FOR RWY 16R. ULTIMATELY, IT IS THE PIC'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY OF FLT AND FOR ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNCS, HOWEVER, PERHAPS COMBINED VIGILANCE FROM ATC AND PLTS ALIKE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SAFETY IN SUCH SITS. THIS OCCURRENCE HAS REMINDED ME OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSTANT VIGILANCE AND OF RESISTING THE HUMAN TRAIT OF 'FALLING INTO PATTERNS' AND HABITS. BUSY AIRSPACE (AS ANY AIRSPACE) REQUIRES ALERTNESS AND A RECOGNITION THAT CLRNCS CAN CHANGE. SAFETY NEEDS TO START AT THE STUDENT PLT LEVEL AND CONTINUE THROUGH RE-EDUCATION AND REMINDERS AS PLTS CONTINUE THROUGH THEIR CAREERS, BE IT VOCATION OR AVOCATION.

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.