King air pilot on approach to runway 26 at den in VMC is instructed to circle to runway 17L. Runway ...

Attributes
ACN	789414
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Super King Air 200 HDC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 26
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : circling
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	789414
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was a little shaky after being vectored around some thunderstorms that included moderate to severe turbulence and moderate icing. I was given a vector to intercept ILS runway 26 at den. Shortly after the localizer intercept I was in VMC with 6000 ft visibility and the airport in sight; but windshear was continuous. I called the field in sight and was told to continue. Somewhere inside the marker I was given a circle to land to runway 17L. I called runway in sight and was told it was okay to widen to the north; but I guess I saw runway 16; not runway 17. After noticing my mistake I asked for a vector; but didn't hear anything. I asked again and was told to turn east. At that time I saw runway 17L and was cleared to land. No mention was made of anything; but I feel I should write this because the tower gave me a circling instruction at the last minute and I didn't really have time to get organized. I saw a south runway; but it was the wrong runway. I saw runway 16; not runway 17. After the previous thunderstorms and turbulence; as well as a long day; and the fact that I was single pilot; I'm glad I'm still here; and I'm glad it wasn't night and IMC. In the future I'll concentrate more on the airport diagram; as well as a better preflight briefing. The busier airports are challenging single pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: KING AIR PLT ON APCH TO RWY 26 AT DEN IN VMC IS INSTRUCTED TO CIRCLE TO RWY 17L. RWY 16L IS SIGHTED INITIALLY CAUSING A CIRCUITOUS ROUTE TO LAND 17L.

Narrative: I WAS A LITTLE SHAKY AFTER BEING VECTORED AROUND SOME THUNDERSTORMS THAT INCLUDED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE AND MODERATE ICING. I WAS GIVEN A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT ILS RWY 26 AT DEN. SHORTLY AFTER THE LOC INTERCEPT I WAS IN VMC WITH 6000 FT VISIBILITY AND THE ARPT IN SIGHT; BUT WINDSHEAR WAS CONTINUOUS. I CALLED THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE. SOMEWHERE INSIDE THE MARKER I WAS GIVEN A CIRCLE TO LAND TO RWY 17L. I CALLED RWY IN SIGHT AND WAS TOLD IT WAS OKAY TO WIDEN TO THE N; BUT I GUESS I SAW RWY 16; NOT RWY 17. AFTER NOTICING MY MISTAKE I ASKED FOR A VECTOR; BUT DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING. I ASKED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TO TURN E. AT THAT TIME I SAW RWY 17L AND WAS CLEARED TO LAND. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF ANYTHING; BUT I FEEL I SHOULD WRITE THIS BECAUSE THE TWR GAVE ME A CIRCLING INSTRUCTION AT THE LAST MINUTE AND I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO GET ORGANIZED. I SAW A S RWY; BUT IT WAS THE WRONG RWY. I SAW RWY 16; NOT RWY 17. AFTER THE PREVIOUS THUNDERSTORMS AND TURBULENCE; AS WELL AS A LONG DAY; AND THE FACT THAT I WAS SINGLE PLT; I'M GLAD I'M STILL HERE; AND I'M GLAD IT WASN'T NIGHT AND IMC. IN THE FUTURE I'LL CONCENTRATE MORE ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM; AS WELL AS A BETTER PREFLT BRIEFING. THE BUSIER ARPTS ARE CHALLENGING SINGLE PLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

King air pilot on approach to runway 26 at den in VMC is instructed to circle to runway 17L. Runway 16L is sighted initially causing a circuitous route to land 17L.