Narrative:

I called the tower 8 mi southeast and was told to expect runway 9R. I requested runway 9L and the tower said he would see what he could do, and to call 3 mi southeast. At 3 mi, I was cleared to land runway 9R. I asked about runway 9L and then was cleared to land on runway 9L. The WX was clear with about a 10 KT headwind down the runway. There was no radio traffic to speak of or cockpit distrs. I did not realize I had landed on the wrong runway 9R until after I told the tower that I needed to go to the FBO. I have given the situation a lot of thought, as I am an instructor pilot that teaches how to avoid runway incursions to all my students. I cover the subject on all flight reviews and instrument proficiency checks. I had the airport diagram out and had looked at it several times. There are a few perceptions factors that may have led me to land on runway 9R. 1) it is much darker than runway 9L and may have drawn my attention to it. 2) the approach end of runway 9R is closer to you than runway 9L. 3) the runways are very close to each other, approximately 300 ft, and runway 9L may have appeared as a taxiway because of its lighter color. As a corrective action, I plan to include another runway check on short final along with my last gear check.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A36 PLT LANDS ON WRONG RWY.

Narrative: I CALLED THE TWR 8 MI SE AND WAS TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 9R. I REQUESTED RWY 9L AND THE TWR SAID HE WOULD SEE WHAT HE COULD DO, AND TO CALL 3 MI SE. AT 3 MI, I WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 9R. I ASKED ABOUT RWY 9L AND THEN WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 9L. THE WX WAS CLR WITH ABOUT A 10 KT HEADWIND DOWN THE RWY. THERE WAS NO RADIO TFC TO SPEAK OF OR COCKPIT DISTRS. I DID NOT REALIZE I HAD LANDED ON THE WRONG RWY 9R UNTIL AFTER I TOLD THE TWR THAT I NEEDED TO GO TO THE FBO. I HAVE GIVEN THE SIT A LOT OF THOUGHT, AS I AM AN INSTRUCTOR PLT THAT TEACHES HOW TO AVOID RWY INCURSIONS TO ALL MY STUDENTS. I COVER THE SUBJECT ON ALL FLT REVIEWS AND INST PROFICIENCY CHKS. I HAD THE ARPT DIAGRAM OUT AND HAD LOOKED AT IT SEVERAL TIMES. THERE ARE A FEW PERCEPTIONS FACTORS THAT MAY HAVE LED ME TO LAND ON RWY 9R. 1) IT IS MUCH DARKER THAN RWY 9L AND MAY HAVE DRAWN MY ATTN TO IT. 2) THE APCH END OF RWY 9R IS CLOSER TO YOU THAN RWY 9L. 3) THE RWYS ARE VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER, APPROX 300 FT, AND RWY 9L MAY HAVE APPEARED AS A TXWY BECAUSE OF ITS LIGHTER COLOR. AS A CORRECTIVE ACTION, I PLAN TO INCLUDE ANOTHER RWY CHK ON SHORT FINAL ALONG WITH MY LAST GEAR CHK.

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.