Narrative:

I was working local control. Landing runway 31. Moderate traffic density. Aircraft X, a C172, called inbound from the northwest over a VFR reporting point 5 NM northwest of airport. I issued instructions to join the left downwind leg for runway 31, and received a correct readback. Aircraft X was at 1500 ft MSL on initial call. Pattern altitude if 1000 ft MSL. I noticed aircraft X descending below 1000 ft MSL 1 mi northwest of airport, and the track on the d-brite indicated he was lined up for final runway 13. I confirmed this visually with my binoculars, informed the pilot, and told him to side-step to the left downwind runway 31 and climb to pattern altitude. It occurred to me that this confusion between runway 13 and runway 31 happens rather frequently. Due to prevailing local WX conditions, runway 13 is active 5 times as often as runway 31. This confusion does not seem to exist at airports that have a runway 12/30 or runway 14/32. Aside from banning the construction of runways on a 130 degree/310 degree heading, I have no solution to the problem. But it happens often enough to cause concern for the local controllers. Even a correct readback is no guarantee the pilot will not experience 'flight dyslexia.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: facility specialist advised approach control provided by mia TRACON. Tmb utilizes their BRITE radar only as their 'eye extension.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 INCORRECTLY IDENTS TMB RWY 13 FOR RWY 31 AND IS CORRECTED BY TWR.'

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LCL CTL. LNDG RWY 31. MODERATE TFC DENSITY. ACFT X, A C172, CALLED INBOUND FROM THE NW OVER A VFR RPTING POINT 5 NM NW OF ARPT. I ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO JOIN THE L DOWNWIND LEG FOR RWY 31, AND RECEIVED A CORRECT READBACK. ACFT X WAS AT 1500 FT MSL ON INITIAL CALL. PATTERN ALT IF 1000 FT MSL. I NOTICED ACFT X DSNDING BELOW 1000 FT MSL 1 MI NW OF ARPT, AND THE TRACK ON THE D-BRITE INDICATED HE WAS LINED UP FOR FINAL RWY 13. I CONFIRMED THIS VISUALLY WITH MY BINOCULARS, INFORMED THE PLT, AND TOLD HIM TO SIDE-STEP TO THE L DOWNWIND RWY 31 AND CLB TO PATTERN ALT. IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THIS CONFUSION BTWN RWY 13 AND RWY 31 HAPPENS RATHER FREQUENTLY. DUE TO PREVAILING LCL WX CONDITIONS, RWY 13 IS ACTIVE 5 TIMES AS OFTEN AS RWY 31. THIS CONFUSION DOES NOT SEEM TO EXIST AT ARPTS THAT HAVE A RWY 12/30 OR RWY 14/32. ASIDE FROM BANNING THE CONSTRUCTION OF RWYS ON A 130 DEG/310 DEG HDG, I HAVE NO SOLUTION TO THE PROB. BUT IT HAPPENS OFTEN ENOUGH TO CAUSE CONCERN FOR THE LCL CTLRS. EVEN A CORRECT READBACK IS NO GUARANTEE THE PLT WILL NOT EXPERIENCE 'FLT DYSLEXIA.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FACILITY SPECIALIST ADVISED APCH CTL PROVIDED BY MIA TRACON. TMB UTILIZES THEIR BRITE RADAR ONLY AS THEIR 'EYE EXTENSION.'

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.