Narrative:

Location of incident: 2 NM east of tul on the extended centerline of runway 26; while on the GPS runway 26 approach to tul. The ns runways at tul; runways 18-36 left and right were closed for major construction. I was not familiar with the tul airport and was arriving from abq. I had landed at tul once before; sometime in the past when all runways were open. I mistakenly idented an automatic drag racing strip as the runway that I was aiming for. The drag strip is aligned with tul's runway 26 but about 2 NM to the east. By the time recognition of where it was I was making the approach to; after passing a power line; my analysis of the situation was to land; which I felt was the safest course of action; and sort out the situation on the ground. My apprehension about adding power and doing a low pass was worry about other hard to see snags; such as electrical lines and/or drag racing equipment or structures. After this off field landing experience; and my misident problem; it seems to me that a note on the approach plates for any runway 26 approach plate for tul; calling attention to the runway looking drag strip on the centerline of the runway 26 approach; would be appropriate. There was no damage to the aircraft; the facility; or bodily injury involvement. The aircraft was flown out of the drag strip to tul on the same day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 LANDS ON DRAG STRIP VICE TUL RWY 26.

Narrative: LOCATION OF INCIDENT: 2 NM E OF TUL ON THE EXTENDED CTRLINE OF RWY 26; WHILE ON THE GPS RWY 26 APCH TO TUL. THE NS RWYS AT TUL; RWYS 18-36 L AND R WERE CLOSED FOR MAJOR CONSTRUCTION. I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TUL ARPT AND WAS ARRIVING FROM ABQ. I HAD LANDED AT TUL ONCE BEFORE; SOMETIME IN THE PAST WHEN ALL RWYS WERE OPEN. I MISTAKENLY IDENTED AN AUTO DRAG RACING STRIP AS THE RWY THAT I WAS AIMING FOR. THE DRAG STRIP IS ALIGNED WITH TUL'S RWY 26 BUT ABOUT 2 NM TO THE E. BY THE TIME RECOGNITION OF WHERE IT WAS I WAS MAKING THE APCH TO; AFTER PASSING A PWR LINE; MY ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION WAS TO LAND; WHICH I FELT WAS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION; AND SORT OUT THE SITUATION ON THE GND. MY APPREHENSION ABOUT ADDING PWR AND DOING A LOW PASS WAS WORRY ABOUT OTHER HARD TO SEE SNAGS; SUCH AS ELECTRICAL LINES AND/OR DRAG RACING EQUIP OR STRUCTURES. AFTER THIS OFF FIELD LNDG EXPERIENCE; AND MY MISIDENT PROB; IT SEEMS TO ME THAT A NOTE ON THE APCH PLATES FOR ANY RWY 26 APCH PLATE FOR TUL; CALLING ATTN TO THE RWY LOOKING DRAG STRIP ON THE CTRLINE OF THE RWY 26 APCH; WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT; THE FACILITY; OR BODILY INJURY INVOLVEMENT. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN OUT OF THE DRAG STRIP TO TUL ON THE SAME DAY.

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.