Narrative:

IFR flight plan from texas to memphis, tn. This was a single pilot operation. During en route phase of flight, the PIC attempted to familiarize himself with the runways, airport diagram (commercial charts) at mem. Charts indicated 4 north/south runways. Upon arrival into the terminal area, PIC advised approach that the airport was in sight. PIC was cleared for a visual approach to runway 17. As PIC turned long final for runway 17, he was confused as to which runway was runway 17 and which runway was runway 18R. PIC attempted to dial in the ILS for runway 18R, but did not receive a signal. While looking at the airport diagram, it appeared that runway 17 (the narrower runway) was just to the left of runway 18. However, there was major construction underway in the area of runway 18. On short final, it was still unclr (because of the construction) as to which runway was runway 17. PIC requested, from tower, to land on runway 18R. No immediate response was issued and PIC sidestepped from what he believed was runway 18R to runway 17. At approximately 20 ft AGL, PIC was instructed to go around and complied with request. PIC was then told that he was attempting to land on the taxiway. An uneventful return to the field was made and a landing made on runway 17, after following preceding traffic. On the ground, PIC noted that runway 18R was under construction and there was literally no runway there. This was the first time into mem for this PIC and, admittedly, he was not familiar with the field. Tower advised that this was not an isolated incident. PIC expressed his regret for this situation and it appeared to have no consequences. I wanted to write this report to identify the confusion that can be experienced by pilots who don't routinely fly into memphis international.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ASSIGNED A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17 AT MEMPHIS A PLT LINES UP ON RWY 18R WHICH IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. TWR CALLS FOR A GAR.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN FROM TEXAS TO MEMPHIS, TN. THIS WAS A SINGLE PLT OP. DURING ENRTE PHASE OF FLT, THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO FAMILIARIZE HIMSELF WITH THE RWYS, ARPT DIAGRAM (COMMERCIAL CHARTS) AT MEM. CHARTS INDICATED 4 N/S RWYS. UPON ARR INTO THE TERMINAL AREA, PIC ADVISED APCH THAT THE ARPT WAS IN SIGHT. PIC WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17. AS PIC TURNED LONG FINAL FOR RWY 17, HE WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHICH RWY WAS RWY 17 AND WHICH RWY WAS RWY 18R. PIC ATTEMPTED TO DIAL IN THE ILS FOR RWY 18R, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A SIGNAL. WHILE LOOKING AT THE ARPT DIAGRAM, IT APPEARED THAT RWY 17 (THE NARROWER RWY) WAS JUST TO THE L OF RWY 18. HOWEVER, THERE WAS MAJOR CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY IN THE AREA OF RWY 18. ON SHORT FINAL, IT WAS STILL UNCLR (BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION) AS TO WHICH RWY WAS RWY 17. PIC REQUESTED, FROM TWR, TO LAND ON RWY 18R. NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS ISSUED AND PIC SIDESTEPPED FROM WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS RWY 18R TO RWY 17. AT APPROX 20 FT AGL, PIC WAS INSTRUCTED TO GO AROUND AND COMPLIED WITH REQUEST. PIC WAS THEN TOLD THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON THE TXWY. AN UNEVENTFUL RETURN TO THE FIELD WAS MADE AND A LNDG MADE ON RWY 17, AFTER FOLLOWING PRECEDING TFC. ON THE GND, PIC NOTED THAT RWY 18R WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THERE WAS LITERALLY NO RWY THERE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME INTO MEM FOR THIS PIC AND, ADMITTEDLY, HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE FIELD. TWR ADVISED THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. PIC EXPRESSED HIS REGRET FOR THIS SIT AND IT APPEARED TO HAVE NO CONSEQUENCES. I WANTED TO WRITE THIS RPT TO IDENT THE CONFUSION THAT CAN BE EXPERIENCED BY PLTS WHO DON'T ROUTINELY FLY INTO MEMPHIS INTL.

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.