C210 pilot lands on the parallel taxiway at tus.

Attributes
ACN	567147
Time
Date	200212
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tus.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tus.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : tus.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	567147
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight from blh to 5t6 and encountered deteriorating WX and made an unscheduled landing at tus international. WX was a contributing factor. While being vectored, I found it necessary to descend below 4500 ft to avoid small, patchy clouds. Visibility was reported to be over 5 mi, but it was poor because of rain and poor light. I did not pick up the airport until I was within 3 mi of it on a 45 degree left base for runway 11L. Taxiway a stood out and looked to me to be runway 11L. It may have stood out because it was the closest. As I turned final, I was advised of another plane landing on a parallel runway. At that time, it appeared to me that everything was in order. The things that I should have done to avoid this incident are: 1) I should have requested an IFR clearance, given the WX and my lack of familiarity with tus. 2) I should have dialed in the runway 11L ILS. 3) I should have checked the airport diagram and not the inset on the approach plate in the 'terminal procedures.' 4) I should have made sure I picked up the runway number instead of thinking I saw it. I made a bad mistake and I will not make it again!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PLT LANDS ON THE PARALLEL TXWY AT TUS.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT FROM BLH TO 5T6 AND ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WX AND MADE AN UNSCHEDULED LNDG AT TUS INTL. WX WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. WHILE BEING VECTORED, I FOUND IT NECESSARY TO DSND BELOW 4500 FT TO AVOID SMALL, PATCHY CLOUDS. VISIBILITY WAS RPTED TO BE OVER 5 MI, BUT IT WAS POOR BECAUSE OF RAIN AND POOR LIGHT. I DID NOT PICK UP THE ARPT UNTIL I WAS WITHIN 3 MI OF IT ON A 45 DEG L BASE FOR RWY 11L. TXWY A STOOD OUT AND LOOKED TO ME TO BE RWY 11L. IT MAY HAVE STOOD OUT BECAUSE IT WAS THE CLOSEST. AS I TURNED FINAL, I WAS ADVISED OF ANOTHER PLANE LNDG ON A PARALLEL RWY. AT THAT TIME, IT APPEARED TO ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER. THE THINGS THAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE TO AVOID THIS INCIDENT ARE: 1) I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC, GIVEN THE WX AND MY LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH TUS. 2) I SHOULD HAVE DIALED IN THE RWY 11L ILS. 3) I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE ARPT DIAGRAM AND NOT THE INSET ON THE APCH PLATE IN THE 'TERMINAL PROCS.' 4) I SHOULD HAVE MADE SURE I PICKED UP THE RWY NUMBER INSTEAD OF THINKING I SAW IT. I MADE A BAD MISTAKE AND I WILL NOT MAKE IT AGAIN!

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.