J3 Cub
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Confusion; Other / Unknown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Incursion Taxiway
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
The following incident occurred while the sun was setting. The airport was on a XXL/R operation. A J-3 was issued left closed traffic for Runway XXL; while on the downwind at 1;000 FT. I had a C172 join the midfield downwind also at 1;500 FT. I then told the J-3 to continue downwind and I would call his base turn to follow traffic. After the C172 was established on downwind at 1;500 FT I noticed out the window that the C172 had out run the J-3. I then began to issue traffic for the J-3 to follow the C172. The J-3 responded that he had the C172 in sight. I then issued an instruction for the J-3 to follow the C172 and cleared for the option on Runway XXL. Once the J-3 was over what appeared to be the runway; I then realized he had lined up to land on Taxiway 'X' by the time I could issue a go around he had touched down on 'X' and swerved to the right then back left. As the sun was setting; it appeared that the aircraft was still floating down the runway before landing on the taxiway. I believe due to the height of the Tower and the setting of the sun; it gave an optical illusion that the aircraft was floating down the runway.
Tower Controller described a taxiway landing event during the sunset time frame and landing to the West; the Controller indicating difficulty in recognizing the exact aircraft location.