Narrative:

I was cleared for an approach (visual) to runway 20R at pdk by approach control and then xferred to pdk tower. There was a delay before I could talk to pdk tower as the controller was very busy with other aircraft and I could not break in. I could see numerous aircraft in the immediate area on my TCAS and hesitated to turn toward the approach end of runway 20R until contacting tower. I had intended to turn right for a left base to final for runway 20R. However; by the time I got to the tower; I needed to make a right turn for runway 20R base-to-final. Once I contacted the tower there was some confusing conversation regarding making a left or right turn to final. It did not occur to me until after several turns that the tower controller was clearing me to land on runway 2L and approach controller had cleared me for runway 20R. I ultimately did do a visual approach and landing on runway 2L. I was thinking runway 20R all along and did not pick up that the tower controller was clearing me for runway '2L.' I am not sure where in the clearance that this change occurred as I did not realize the misunderstanding until we had made several turns. The confusion came with distinguishing runway 20R from runway 2L.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA31 PILOT IN THE PDK TFC PATTERN WAS CLEARED FOR VISUAL TO RWY 2L BUT TRACON PREVIOUSLY CLRED HIM FOR A RWY 20R VISUAL CAUSING CONFUSION.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED FOR AN APCH (VISUAL) TO RWY 20R AT PDK BY APCH CTL AND THEN XFERRED TO PDK TWR. THERE WAS A DELAY BEFORE I COULD TALK TO PDK TWR AS THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY WITH OTHER ACFT AND I COULD NOT BREAK IN. I COULD SEE NUMEROUS ACFT IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA ON MY TCAS AND HESITATED TO TURN TOWARD THE APCH END OF RWY 20R UNTIL CONTACTING TWR. I HAD INTENDED TO TURN R FOR A L BASE TO FINAL FOR RWY 20R. HOWEVER; BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE TWR; I NEEDED TO MAKE A R TURN FOR RWY 20R BASE-TO-FINAL. ONCE I CONTACTED THE TWR THERE WAS SOME CONFUSING CONVERSATION REGARDING MAKING A L OR R TURN TO FINAL. IT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME UNTIL AFTER SEVERAL TURNS THAT THE TWR CTLR WAS CLRING ME TO LAND ON RWY 2L AND APCH CTLR HAD CLRED ME FOR RWY 20R. I ULTIMATELY DID DO A VISUAL APCH AND LNDG ON RWY 2L. I WAS THINKING RWY 20R ALL ALONG AND DID NOT PICK UP THAT THE TWR CTLR WAS CLRING ME FOR RWY '2L.' I AM NOT SURE WHERE IN THE CLRNC THAT THIS CHANGE OCCURRED AS I DID NOT REALIZE THE MISUNDERSTANDING UNTIL WE HAD MADE SEVERAL TURNS. THE CONFUSION CAME WITH DISTINGUISHING RWY 20R FROM RWY 2L.

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.