A potential disaster was averted at San Francisco International Airport after the pilot of a commercial jet carrying 140 people mistakenly lined up to land on a bustling airplane taxiway rather than the parallel runway, officials said Tuesday.

The Air Canada jet, an Airbus A320, was instructed by an air traffic controller to halt its descent and conduct a “go-around” just before midnight Friday as it approached the taxiway, where four commercial planes full of passengers and fuel were preparing to take off, said the Federal Aviation Administration.

The plane, which was inbound from Toronto, carrying 135 passengers and five crew members, safely circled and landed on Runway 28R, the agency said. Officials said the FAA is investigating the incident, including “the distance between the Air Canada aircraft and the jets that were lined up on Taxiway C.”

Air Canada released a statement Tuesday saying, “We are still investigating the circumstances and therefore have no additional information to offer.”

An audio recording captured the moment when the pilot, who was not identified, attempted to make the landing. He said, “Tower, Air Canada 759. I can see lights on the runway there. Can you confirm we’re clear to land?”

An air traffic controller responded, “Air Canada 759, confirmed cleared to land on 28 Right, there is no one on 28 Right but you.”

“OK, Air Canada 759,” the pilot confirmed.

A voice then interjected, “Where is this guy going? He’s on the taxiway.” At that point, the control tower instructed the pilot to go around and make another approach.

Shortly after the pilot changed course to circle around, a United Airlines pilot radioed in to the tower and said, “United 1, Air Canada flew directly over us.”

Barry Schiff, an aviation expert and former TWA captain, said “go-arounds” are not unusual but that a pilot attempting to land on a taxiway rather than a runway was extremely rare. Runway lights are always white, are particularly clear at night and are the same around the world, he said.

John Blanchard / The Chronicle

“When we hear about something like that, as pilots we do wonder how in the hell that can happen,” Schiff said. “It’s really difficult to understand how two professional pilots can look out their window and mistake a taxiway for a runway.”

The outcome could have been catastrophic if the jet had not changed course, Schiff said.

“The danger of hitting or crashing into another airplane is remarkably high,” he said.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani