So, I got it wrong today
 

I was flying a 182 on a maintenance snag flight today. It is stunningly well equipped - Fancy new avionics I have never seen before. No problem, airport I know well, not busy, and a perfect flying day. Inbound with no wind change to speak of, the controller assigned me a different runway then my last landing an hour earlier. I missed that (and actually read back the wrong runway - he did not catch that). Then, considering other traffic, the traffic patter in my head was not meshing well with others.

About that time, about mid field, tower asked "XXX, can you make the runway from there?". The light instantly went on... darn, I'd set myself up for a close downwind, rather than right base to the crossing runway assigned to me. This was traffic messy. I (feeling silly), said "Yes, I can make it.". "Okay, you're cleared to land from a right turn overhead.

Though I should not have created the poor opportunity, I made a presentable slipping turn all the way around, and nicely set it on the numbers - Embarrassment mitigated, a little...

As I taxied in, the ground controller called me and said, "Well, it looks like you've done that before". "yes" I admitted "I have set up for the wrong runway before". "No, not that, he said, your landing was super, right on the numbers! I wanted to compliment you!". Wow, nice! "Thank you!".

I taxiied in, paying really close attention to being on the correct taxiway, feeling a little less foolish, and appreciating a thoughtful controller - again. I kind thought and word disarmed an embarrassing situation, but left the lesson to be learned (again).

In hind sight, a little post event review led me to an element of my failure. This aircraft had no DG, but rather a really slick Aspen display. The presentation on that display does not include a full compass card, but rather just an arc of about 45 degrees either side of center. I had looked at it, and not oriented myself, for lack of visualizing myself on the compass card. certainly, I should have recognized this different cockpit information, and planned to compensate - 100% my failure. I just did not give it enough thought, a little life reminder lesson for me.....

Not 100% your fault if the controller missed the incorrect readback. Assuming Canada is the same as other places, controllers do training on the readback/hearback mind process.

Well... You didn't get it THAT wrong did you!? Looks like you managed to do a pretty spectacular approach and landing!

I think it happens to all of us. Those of us who haven't done it most likely will in the future! It even happens to airliners, and occasionally even the wrong airport altogether!

I've done that and had to go around due to other traffic (admittedly there were 5 runways, the sun was glaring in my eyes and I wasn't aware that my DI had shifted 20 degrees since my last alignment 15minutes before).

Congratulations on the nice landing though! :-)

Thanks for sharing, @ST ( ;) )

One shares more wisdom by sharing errors/failures than by sharing successes. And indeed this was not even a failure, not by a long way.

Well done flying and well done posting!

I had a somewhat similar issue the first time I landed away using a magnetic compass rather than a DI. Now in the comfort of my living room I can visualise and mentally rotate an imaginary compass card at will - a skill that utterly abandoned me in the heat of the moment.