Pilot of C208, distraction by attempts to keep preceding traffic in sight, lands on taxiway at ont.

Attributes
ACN	630367
Time
Date	200409
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ont.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ont.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Caravan 1 208A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : ont.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 109.7 flight time total : 3127.1 flight time type : 60.7
ASRS Report	630367
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Arriving at the ont airport from the west, I was cleared for a visual approach off the left downwind to runway 26L. I was instructed to follow company traffic, which I had in sight. The HSI was set to the localizer frequency for 26L. On the base leg I lost visual contact with company traffic in the haze and setting sun. While trying to reacquire company traffic my attention was focused outside the cockpit. This led to me not monitoring the localizer needle. I turned final to what I perceived to be runway 26L while still trying to locate the preceding traffic. I cut the final close so as not to interfere with the runway 26R approach course. While on final I did not check the localizer needle and my attention was focused down the runway trying to find traffic. By the time I realized that it was taxiway south that I was lined up on, I had landed. As I rolled out tower told me to monitor ground to parking. In retrospect I should have gone around when I lost sight of preceding traffic. Also, I should have monitored the localizer needle.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C208, DISTR BY ATTEMPTS TO KEEP PRECEDING TFC IN SIGHT, LANDS ON TXWY AT ONT.

Narrative: ARRIVING AT THE ONT ARPT FROM THE W, I WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH OFF THE L DOWNWIND TO RWY 26L. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW COMPANY TFC, WHICH I HAD IN SIGHT. THE HSI WAS SET TO THE LOC FREQ FOR 26L. ON THE BASE LEG I LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH COMPANY TFC IN THE HAZE AND SETTING SUN. WHILE TRYING TO REACQUIRE COMPANY TFC MY ATTN WAS FOCUSED OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT. THIS LED TO ME NOT MONITORING THE LOC NEEDLE. I TURNED FINAL TO WHAT I PERCEIVED TO BE RWY 26L WHILE STILL TRYING TO LOCATE THE PRECEDING TFC. I CUT THE FINAL CLOSE SO AS NOT TO INTERFERE WITH THE RWY 26R APCH COURSE. WHILE ON FINAL I DID NOT CHK THE LOC NEEDLE AND MY ATTN WAS FOCUSED DOWN THE RWY TRYING TO FIND TFC. BY THE TIME I REALIZED THAT IT WAS TXWY S THAT I WAS LINED UP ON, I HAD LANDED. AS I ROLLED OUT TWR TOLD ME TO MONITOR GND TO PARKING. IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE GONE AROUND WHEN I LOST SIGHT OF PRECEDING TFC. ALSO, I SHOULD HAVE MONITORED THE LOC NEEDLE.

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.