Narrative:

This was a pleasure flight, although I am a CFI, I was along for the ride. The tower at the class D airport had cleared the PIC to land on runway 36, #2. We were coming from the southwest, and we were looking for the other traffic. Unable to see them, I asked the tower where the traffic was, and they said it was on short final, no factor. It looked like we were lined up with runway 36. Normally, I would have the student look at the heading on the dg to confirm we were on the right runway, but I was just enjoying the flight. After landing, the tower asked the PIC if she was a student pilot. She answered 'no.' then tower informed her she had landed on runway 4, which was closed. I never saw the runway number when we were landing, or any indication the runway was closed. I failed to look at the directional gyroscope on final to confirm the correct runway, but I was not acting as instructor. I am filing this report in case the FAA holds me responsible. I know we were at fault, but I am sure tower saw what was happening and declined to share it with us. The way to keep this from happening again, is not let yourself get distraction looking for traffic and forget the important things, like landing on the correct runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG RWY LNDG ON A CLOSED RWY BY A LOW TIME PA28-180 PVT PLT WITH A CFI FRIEND GOING ALONG FOR THE RIDE TO JVL, WI.

Narrative: THIS WAS A PLEASURE FLT, ALTHOUGH I AM A CFI, I WAS ALONG FOR THE RIDE. THE TWR AT THE CLASS D ARPT HAD CLRED THE PIC TO LAND ON RWY 36, #2. WE WERE COMING FROM THE SW, AND WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE OTHER TFC. UNABLE TO SEE THEM, I ASKED THE TWR WHERE THE TFC WAS, AND THEY SAID IT WAS ON SHORT FINAL, NO FACTOR. IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE LINED UP WITH RWY 36. NORMALLY, I WOULD HAVE THE STUDENT LOOK AT THE HDG ON THE DG TO CONFIRM WE WERE ON THE RIGHT RWY, BUT I WAS JUST ENJOYING THE FLT. AFTER LNDG, THE TWR ASKED THE PIC IF SHE WAS A STUDENT PLT. SHE ANSWERED 'NO.' THEN TWR INFORMED HER SHE HAD LANDED ON RWY 4, WHICH WAS CLOSED. I NEVER SAW THE RWY NUMBER WHEN WE WERE LNDG, OR ANY INDICATION THE RWY WAS CLOSED. I FAILED TO LOOK AT THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE ON FINAL TO CONFIRM THE CORRECT RWY, BUT I WAS NOT ACTING AS INSTRUCTOR. I AM FILING THIS RPT IN CASE THE FAA HOLDS ME RESPONSIBLE. I KNOW WE WERE AT FAULT, BUT I AM SURE TWR SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND DECLINED TO SHARE IT WITH US. THE WAY TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, IS NOT LET YOURSELF GET DISTR LOOKING FOR TFC AND FORGET THE IMPORTANT THINGS, LIKE LNDG ON THE CORRECT RWY.

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.