Narrative:

Part 135 cargo flight from ZZZ to ewr. ATIS reported runway 4R as landing runway. Approach asked if I could accept runway 11. This would be a crossing tailwind but I accepted the approach to runway 11. I was vectored to the runway 11 localizer, maintain 2000 ft until established. I failed to factor in approximately 30+ KT tailwind at 2000 ft. It is often difficult to spot runway 11 from a distance if you are low, because it is somewhat down in a hole surrounded by lights. Since visibility was unlimited I expected to see the runway. I did not see it, so I continued at approximately 2000 ft down to 1500 ft. I realized I was over the approach end of the runway, high and fast. I was going to initiate a go around when tower said runway 22R was available. I accepted that clearance, made a turn to the left and then around to right to line up with runway 22R. Aircraft were still using runway 4R for landing and I did not want the strong west wind to blow me east into their path. At this point, I was over the approach end of runway 22R and couldn't see the runway end lights. There are a number of parallel surfaces and lights. Runway 22L, taxiway P, runway 22R, txwys right, B, D, txwys south, a, PA. I mistook the centerline lights of txwys right, B, D, for runway 22R and landed on it. I realized this on touchdown, the taxiway edge lights were not on. There were no aircraft on or near the taxiway. Contributing factors: often the tower lands our company on runway 11 to keep us out of the faster jet traffic to the main runway. Traffic permitting, a clearance to runway 22 will be given to save a long taxi to the freight facilities. Our other pilots operate into ewr every night and are familiar with the airport and procedures. I am a 'floater' and operate into several airports. I had done this switch for runway 11 to runway 22 but in the day time, never before at night. I was tired, had legal rest time, but was unable to sleep. I should have gone around to runway 11 again, or asked for runway 4R, or proceeded further to the northeast for a longer approach into runway 22R with runway end lights, touchdown lights, etc, in view so there would be no confusion as to what lights were what.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C208, UNFAMILIAR WITH EWR, GETS DISORIENTED ON NIGHTTIME ARR AND LANDS ON TXWY AFTER FAILING TO EXECUTE VFR APCH TO RWY 11.

Narrative: PART 135 CARGO FLT FROM ZZZ TO EWR. ATIS RPTED RWY 4R AS LNDG RWY. APCH ASKED IF I COULD ACCEPT RWY 11. THIS WOULD BE A XING TAILWIND BUT I ACCEPTED THE APCH TO RWY 11. I WAS VECTORED TO THE RWY 11 LOC, MAINTAIN 2000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED. I FAILED TO FACTOR IN APPROX 30+ KT TAILWIND AT 2000 FT. IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO SPOT RWY 11 FROM A DISTANCE IF YOU ARE LOW, BECAUSE IT IS SOMEWHAT DOWN IN A HOLE SURROUNDED BY LIGHTS. SINCE VISIBILITY WAS UNLIMITED I EXPECTED TO SEE THE RWY. I DID NOT SEE IT, SO I CONTINUED AT APPROX 2000 FT DOWN TO 1500 FT. I REALIZED I WAS OVER THE APCH END OF THE RWY, HIGH AND FAST. I WAS GOING TO INITIATE A GAR WHEN TWR SAID RWY 22R WAS AVAILABLE. I ACCEPTED THAT CLRNC, MADE A TURN TO THE L AND THEN AROUND TO R TO LINE UP WITH RWY 22R. ACFT WERE STILL USING RWY 4R FOR LNDG AND I DID NOT WANT THE STRONG W WIND TO BLOW ME E INTO THEIR PATH. AT THIS POINT, I WAS OVER THE APCH END OF RWY 22R AND COULDN'T SEE THE RWY END LIGHTS. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PARALLEL SURFACES AND LIGHTS. RWY 22L, TXWY P, RWY 22R, TXWYS R, B, D, TXWYS S, A, PA. I MISTOOK THE CTRLINE LIGHTS OF TXWYS R, B, D, FOR RWY 22R AND LANDED ON IT. I REALIZED THIS ON TOUCHDOWN, THE TXWY EDGE LIGHTS WERE NOT ON. THERE WERE NO ACFT ON OR NEAR THE TXWY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: OFTEN THE TWR LANDS OUR COMPANY ON RWY 11 TO KEEP US OUT OF THE FASTER JET TFC TO THE MAIN RWY. TFC PERMITTING, A CLRNC TO RWY 22 WILL BE GIVEN TO SAVE A LONG TAXI TO THE FREIGHT FACILITIES. OUR OTHER PLTS OPERATE INTO EWR EVERY NIGHT AND ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AND PROCS. I AM A 'FLOATER' AND OPERATE INTO SEVERAL ARPTS. I HAD DONE THIS SWITCH FOR RWY 11 TO RWY 22 BUT IN THE DAY TIME, NEVER BEFORE AT NIGHT. I WAS TIRED, HAD LEGAL REST TIME, BUT WAS UNABLE TO SLEEP. I SHOULD HAVE GONE AROUND TO RWY 11 AGAIN, OR ASKED FOR RWY 4R, OR PROCEEDED FURTHER TO THE NE FOR A LONGER APCH INTO RWY 22R WITH RWY END LIGHTS, TOUCHDOWN LIGHTS, ETC, IN VIEW SO THERE WOULD BE NO CONFUSION AS TO WHAT LIGHTS WERE WHAT.

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.