C172 instructor landed on the wrong runway due to possible controller error.

Attributes
ACN	547393
Time
Date	200205
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atw.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 925 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	547393
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was approaching the atw airport from the west and made my initial call at, I believe, 8 mi west. I was directed to report 3 mi west and plan landing on runway 29. At 3 mi west, I called tower and was cleared to land on runway 3. (There was no other traffic anywhere at the time.) I repeated 'cleared to land runway 3' as I always repeat the runway. I thought it kind of strange that I would be cleared to land on runway 3 after being told to expect runway 29, but I consciously thought that by repeating the landing clearance, if the controller didn't really mean to say '3' he would catch it. I considered questioning him to see if that was what he really wanted, but I did not. I now will question any situation where questions may arise. But, I concluded then that he was clearing me to land on runway 3 because it was most expeditious for me. I instruct out of this airport and we recognize each other's voices. After landing, I stopped short of runway 29 and asked for 'taxi to parking.' I was cleared to do so. While taxiing, the controller advised me to give the tower a call after parking. I did this, wondering what I could possibly have done wrong. He said, 'I cleared you to land on runway 29' and I immediately said, 'no sir, you cleared me to land on runway 3 and I consciously repeated that clearance.' he was open minded and understanding as I believe I was, too. We concluded that he may have made the error or I may have thought I heard '3.' but he did not really listen to my verification call back. We decided we each need to help each other always, and that no harm was done (there were excellent visual conditions, and no other traffic). I would certainly have done something if any conflicts had arisen. Finally, I should have and forever after will question a somewhat 'iffy' runway clearance. He should have caught my readback but did not. We will both, I believe, be more careful and precise. This controller is excellent, calm, and very courteous and handled the situation well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 INSTRUCTOR LANDED ON THE WRONG RWY DUE TO POSSIBLE CTLR ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING THE ATW ARPT FROM THE W AND MADE MY INITIAL CALL AT, I BELIEVE, 8 MI W. I WAS DIRECTED TO RPT 3 MI W AND PLAN LNDG ON RWY 29. AT 3 MI W, I CALLED TWR AND WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 3. (THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC ANYWHERE AT THE TIME.) I REPEATED 'CLRED TO LAND RWY 3' AS I ALWAYS REPEAT THE RWY. I THOUGHT IT KIND OF STRANGE THAT I WOULD BE CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 3 AFTER BEING TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 29, BUT I CONSCIOUSLY THOUGHT THAT BY REPEATING THE LNDG CLRNC, IF THE CTLR DIDN'T REALLY MEAN TO SAY '3' HE WOULD CATCH IT. I CONSIDERED QUESTIONING HIM TO SEE IF THAT WAS WHAT HE REALLY WANTED, BUT I DID NOT. I NOW WILL QUESTION ANY SIT WHERE QUESTIONS MAY ARISE. BUT, I CONCLUDED THEN THAT HE WAS CLRING ME TO LAND ON RWY 3 BECAUSE IT WAS MOST EXPEDITIOUS FOR ME. I INSTRUCT OUT OF THIS ARPT AND WE RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER'S VOICES. AFTER LNDG, I STOPPED SHORT OF RWY 29 AND ASKED FOR 'TAXI TO PARKING.' I WAS CLRED TO DO SO. WHILE TAXIING, THE CTLR ADVISED ME TO GIVE THE TWR A CALL AFTER PARKING. I DID THIS, WONDERING WHAT I COULD POSSIBLY HAVE DONE WRONG. HE SAID, 'I CLRED YOU TO LAND ON RWY 29' AND I IMMEDIATELY SAID, 'NO SIR, YOU CLRED ME TO LAND ON RWY 3 AND I CONSCIOUSLY REPEATED THAT CLRNC.' HE WAS OPEN MINDED AND UNDERSTANDING AS I BELIEVE I WAS, TOO. WE CONCLUDED THAT HE MAY HAVE MADE THE ERROR OR I MAY HAVE THOUGHT I HEARD '3.' BUT HE DID NOT REALLY LISTEN TO MY VERIFICATION CALL BACK. WE DECIDED WE EACH NEED TO HELP EACH OTHER ALWAYS, AND THAT NO HARM WAS DONE (THERE WERE EXCELLENT VISUAL CONDITIONS, AND NO OTHER TFC). I WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE DONE SOMETHING IF ANY CONFLICTS HAD ARISEN. FINALLY, I SHOULD HAVE AND FOREVER AFTER WILL QUESTION A SOMEWHAT 'IFFY' RWY CLRNC. HE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY READBACK BUT DID NOT. WE WILL BOTH, I BELIEVE, BE MORE CAREFUL AND PRECISE. THIS CTLR IS EXCELLENT, CALM, AND VERY COURTEOUS AND HANDLED THE SIT WELL.

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.