ACR MLG CLRED TO LAND ON 21C IS QUESTIONED BY TWR WHILE ON SHORT FINAL THEN RECLRED TO LAND ON 21C. TWR THOUGHT THE LNDG CLRNC WAS TO 21L.

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I WAS THE CAPT ON FLT ON OCT/SUN/91. I WAS THE PF. WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO 21L; FOLLOWING OTHER TFC; BY APCH CTL. WE WERE SWITCHED FROM APCH TO DETROIT TWR. THE FO CHKED IN WITH THE TWR; AND THE TWR'S INITIAL CONTACT WAS 'COMPANY IDENT; CLRED TO LAND 21C.' OF THIS I AM SURE. I REMEMBER BEING PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO BE GETTING 21C; IT WOULD MEAN A SHORTER TAXI TO THE GATE. THE FO READ BACK 'COMPANY IDENT; CLRED TO LAND; 21C.' THERE WAS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION UNTIL APPROX XXX LCL DETROIT TIME WHEN AN AIRPLANE HOLDING SHORT OF 21C ASKED THE TWR IF HE HAD TFC ON SHORT FINAL TO 21C. WE WERE AT APPROX 500 FT AGL. I DON'T REMEMBER HOW THE TWR SAID IT; BUT THEY ASKED US IF WE WERE LINED UP ON 21C. THE FO RESTATED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND 21C. THE TWR INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND AGAIN CLRED US TO LAND 21C. WE ASKED GND CTL FOR A TELEPHONE NUMBER TAXIING IN. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DTW TWR AND I SPOKE WITH THE SUPVR. HE INDICATED THAT HE AND THE CTLR INVOLVED HAD BEEN DISCUSSING IT. HE ASSURED ME THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND THAT HE WAS INSTITUTING NO ACTION. HE HAD ME TALK BRIEFLY TO THE CTLR. HE ALSO CONFIRMED THERE WAS NO CONFLICT; AND THAT TFC HAD BEEN HVY AND THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM.