Narrative:

Aircraft position was 7 mi northwest of airport. I picked up ATIS, and called tower for landing with ATIS. The ATIS I picked up was calling for landing runway 8R. The tower told me to report levitz for runway 26. I was surprised that the controller did not tell me the updated ATIS (because when I made my initial call it was with old ATIS). I proceeded on right downwind after typing levitz. The controller said he would call my base. Then all I remember is the controller told me to turn base behind the grandstands. I repeated what I thought I heard. I saw an aircraft departing on runway 26R and that is the runway that I was aligned with. At that point I wanted to ask what runway I was on, but there was too much frequency congestion. The controller finally asked me what runway I was lined up with. I replied runway 26R. There was a pause and he told me 'you are cleared to land runway 26R.' I landed and there was no mention I did anything wrong. When I parked the plane I listened to the ATIS and found that runway 26R was closed for lndgs. The main cause of this event is I did not have the correct ATIS. The ATIS was just updated during my call. The controller did not mention the new ATIS. Also a factor in this was a training flight with a difficult student. I was overloaded with teaching the student. Also another factor was the controller was overloaded at the time. The controller was preparing for a fly-by over a drag race near the approach end of runways 26R and 26L. There was also banner towing over the event. I will not let this happen again. I will question ATC about ATIS information. I will fly the plane myself if workload is too much with a difficult student in landing phase. Also ATC should have kept traffic out of class D when airspace was saturated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY CHANGE, NON CURRENT ATIS AND QUESTIONABLE PHRASEOLOGY LEAD FLT INSTRUCTOR TO BELIEVE HE MAY HAVE LINED UP WITH A CLOSED RWY THAT HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED TO LAND UPON.

Narrative: ACFT POS WAS 7 MI NW OF ARPT. I PICKED UP ATIS, AND CALLED TWR FOR LNDG WITH ATIS. THE ATIS I PICKED UP WAS CALLING FOR LNDG RWY 8R. THE TWR TOLD ME TO RPT LEVITZ FOR RWY 26. I WAS SURPRISED THAT THE CTLR DID NOT TELL ME THE UPDATED ATIS (BECAUSE WHEN I MADE MY INITIAL CALL IT WAS WITH OLD ATIS). I PROCEEDED ON R DOWNWIND AFTER TYPING LEVITZ. THE CTLR SAID HE WOULD CALL MY BASE. THEN ALL I REMEMBER IS THE CTLR TOLD ME TO TURN BASE BEHIND THE GRANDSTANDS. I REPEATED WHAT I THOUGHT I HEARD. I SAW AN ACFT DEPARTING ON RWY 26R AND THAT IS THE RWY THAT I WAS ALIGNED WITH. AT THAT POINT I WANTED TO ASK WHAT RWY I WAS ON, BUT THERE WAS TOO MUCH FREQ CONGESTION. THE CTLR FINALLY ASKED ME WHAT RWY I WAS LINED UP WITH. I REPLIED RWY 26R. THERE WAS A PAUSE AND HE TOLD ME 'YOU ARE CLRED TO LAND RWY 26R.' I LANDED AND THERE WAS NO MENTION I DID ANYTHING WRONG. WHEN I PARKED THE PLANE I LISTENED TO THE ATIS AND FOUND THAT RWY 26R WAS CLOSED FOR LNDGS. THE MAIN CAUSE OF THIS EVENT IS I DID NOT HAVE THE CORRECT ATIS. THE ATIS WAS JUST UPDATED DURING MY CALL. THE CTLR DID NOT MENTION THE NEW ATIS. ALSO A FACTOR IN THIS WAS A TRAINING FLT WITH A DIFFICULT STUDENT. I WAS OVERLOADED WITH TEACHING THE STUDENT. ALSO ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THE CTLR WAS OVERLOADED AT THE TIME. THE CTLR WAS PREPARING FOR A FLY-BY OVER A DRAG RACE NEAR THE APCH END OF RWYS 26R AND 26L. THERE WAS ALSO BANNER TOWING OVER THE EVENT. I WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. I WILL QUESTION ATC ABOUT ATIS INFO. I WILL FLY THE PLANE MYSELF IF WORKLOAD IS TOO MUCH WITH A DIFFICULT STUDENT IN LNDG PHASE. ALSO ATC SHOULD HAVE KEPT TFC OUT OF CLASS D WHEN AIRSPACE WAS SATURATED.

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.