Following steep approach; pilot of PA28 lands on runway 4R vice runway 4L as cleared at hnl. Believe...

Attributes
ACN	664268
Time
Date	200507
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hnl.airport
State Reference	HI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pbi.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 210 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	664268
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera 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 ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was arriving to hnl airport; cleared the published freeway arrival. I was told to expect runway 4L and maintain 2000 ft. That is standard in this arrival to have to maintain 2000 ft until somewhere on the downwind. This is extremely high for pattern altitude and most local pilots hate it. Shock cooling for your engines and without a strong headwind requires immediate full flaps and a slip to land. I passed the tower and continued downwind almost to the numbers before being cleared to land on runway 4L. I heard and confirmed runway 4L. I was just getting ready to call tower when I was cleared to land. I went into an immediate descent (pulled power to zero) and was asked to turn base at the golf course. Before reaching the golf course; I was asked to begin my base turn. I also was notified of traffic; a heavy out over the ocean on base for another runway. Not sure why I wasn't any factor; this also distraction me. I then went into a full deflection (rudder) slip; sideways trying to make it down. I was very distraction about my high altitude; trying to decide whether to execute a missed approach or continue to land. I verbally said to my passenger; 'don't think we can make it -- we might have to do a go around.' at that point I would say I was so focused on the altimeter and landing I lost track of the 2 runways; which are side-by-side. I observed traffic holding (a twin) at the beginning of the runway in its appropriate holding spot. At no time did I see danger or realize it was the wrong runway. I landed further down the runway; taxied to the next exit. Before beginning to turn off; I was notified of the mistake. I certainly blame myself for the mistake; however; I feel the 'freeway arrival' into hnl is very tricky and when they hold you to 2000 ft until the numbers on your downwind; nothing can go wrong. They certainly shouldn't tell you to turn base before you can lose some altitude. Some controllers allow you to descend before the tower. This one was the opposite; or he forgot about me!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOLLOWING STEEP APCH; PLT OF PA28 LANDS ON RWY 4R VICE RWY 4L AS CLRED AT HNL. BELIEVES ATCT LCL CTLR TO BLAME FOR DIRECTING APCH BE INITIATED TOO HIGH AND TOO CLOSE.

Narrative: WAS ARRIVING TO HNL ARPT; CLRED THE PUBLISHED FREEWAY ARR. I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 4L AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT. THAT IS STANDARD IN THIS ARR TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT UNTIL SOMEWHERE ON THE DOWNWIND. THIS IS EXTREMELY HIGH FOR PATTERN ALT AND MOST LCL PLTS HATE IT. SHOCK COOLING FOR YOUR ENGS AND WITHOUT A STRONG HEADWIND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE FULL FLAPS AND A SLIP TO LAND. I PASSED THE TWR AND CONTINUED DOWNWIND ALMOST TO THE NUMBERS BEFORE BEING CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 4L. I HEARD AND CONFIRMED RWY 4L. I WAS JUST GETTING READY TO CALL TWR WHEN I WAS CLRED TO LAND. I WENT INTO AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT (PULLED PWR TO ZERO) AND WAS ASKED TO TURN BASE AT THE GOLF COURSE. BEFORE REACHING THE GOLF COURSE; I WAS ASKED TO BEGIN MY BASE TURN. I ALSO WAS NOTIFIED OF TFC; A HVY OUT OVER THE OCEAN ON BASE FOR ANOTHER RWY. NOT SURE WHY I WASN'T ANY FACTOR; THIS ALSO DISTR ME. I THEN WENT INTO A FULL DEFLECTION (RUDDER) SLIP; SIDEWAYS TRYING TO MAKE IT DOWN. I WAS VERY DISTR ABOUT MY HIGH ALT; TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH OR CONTINUE TO LAND. I VERBALLY SAID TO MY PAX; 'DON'T THINK WE CAN MAKE IT -- WE MIGHT HAVE TO DO A GAR.' AT THAT POINT I WOULD SAY I WAS SO FOCUSED ON THE ALTIMETER AND LNDG I LOST TRACK OF THE 2 RWYS; WHICH ARE SIDE-BY-SIDE. I OBSERVED TFC HOLDING (A TWIN) AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RWY IN ITS APPROPRIATE HOLDING SPOT. AT NO TIME DID I SEE DANGER OR REALIZE IT WAS THE WRONG RWY. I LANDED FURTHER DOWN THE RWY; TAXIED TO THE NEXT EXIT. BEFORE BEGINNING TO TURN OFF; I WAS NOTIFIED OF THE MISTAKE. I CERTAINLY BLAME MYSELF FOR THE MISTAKE; HOWEVER; I FEEL THE 'FREEWAY ARR' INTO HNL IS VERY TRICKY AND WHEN THEY HOLD YOU TO 2000 FT UNTIL THE NUMBERS ON YOUR DOWNWIND; NOTHING CAN GO WRONG. THEY CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T TELL YOU TO TURN BASE BEFORE YOU CAN LOSE SOME ALT. SOME CTLRS ALLOW YOU TO DSND BEFORE THE TWR. THIS ONE WAS THE OPPOSITE; OR HE FORGOT ABOUT ME!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Following steep approach; pilot of PA28 lands on runway 4R vice runway 4L as cleared at hnl. Believes ATCT local controller to blame for directing approach be initiated too high and too close.