PA32 pilot has miscom with oqu tower and lands on wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	713617
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oqu.airport
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl single value : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : oqu.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	713617
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Departed runway 23 15 mins earlier in a strong crosswind. Aircraft behind me was told to use 34. Upon returning; I thought tower instructed me to join left downwind 34. Joined left downwind 34 and announced joining specifying 'nxxxxx is left downwind 34.' tower cleared me to land runway 34 (at least that is what I heard); which I repeated back. After landing; waited on the runway momentarily for taxi instructions; when none came; advised tower I was making 180 degrees to the taxiway I had just passed. Tower asked where I was; and I stated on runway 34 where I just landed. Tower then told me that I had been cleared to land runway 23; not runway 34. Passenger (also a pilot) said he also heard tower say 34; not 23; both in the join downwind instruction and in the landing clearance. I do not know if I heard what I expected to hear or if the tower specified the wrong runway. In either case; the tower had 2 opportunities to correct me when I reported downwind 34; and when I read back the clearance to land 34 instruction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PLT HAS MISCOM WITH OQU TWR AND LANDS ON WRONG RWY.

Narrative: DEPARTED RWY 23 15 MINS EARLIER IN A STRONG XWIND. ACFT BEHIND ME WAS TOLD TO USE 34. UPON RETURNING; I THOUGHT TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO JOIN L DOWNWIND 34. JOINED L DOWNWIND 34 AND ANNOUNCED JOINING SPECIFYING 'NXXXXX IS L DOWNWIND 34.' TWR CLRED ME TO LAND RWY 34 (AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT I HEARD); WHICH I REPEATED BACK. AFTER LNDG; WAITED ON THE RWY MOMENTARILY FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS; WHEN NONE CAME; ADVISED TWR I WAS MAKING 180 DEGS TO THE TXWY I HAD JUST PASSED. TWR ASKED WHERE I WAS; AND I STATED ON RWY 34 WHERE I JUST LANDED. TWR THEN TOLD ME THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND RWY 23; NOT RWY 34. PAX (ALSO A PLT) SAID HE ALSO HEARD TWR SAY 34; NOT 23; BOTH IN THE JOIN DOWNWIND INSTRUCTION AND IN THE LNDG CLRNC. I DO NOT KNOW IF I HEARD WHAT I EXPECTED TO HEAR OR IF THE TWR SPECIFIED THE WRONG RWY. IN EITHER CASE; THE TWR HAD 2 OPPORTUNITIES TO CORRECT ME WHEN I RPTED DOWNWIND 34; AND WHEN I READ BACK THE CLRNC TO LAND 34 INSTRUCTION.

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.