Narrative:

While taxiing to FBO west side maintenance at bwi, I had made 2 normal left turns when because of construction and fog and rain, plus long time familiarity with the east ramp, I began to pass quebec taxiway and the right turn I needed ot make. I moved to the right in a sidestep in order to make a 270 degree turn to safely miss the corner of kilo and quebec; however, right, then left brake were found to be fading. I could not let up on the right brake due to possibility of crossing onto the active runway 33R 15L, on which commuters were landing every several mins. In my peripheral vision I saw one at this time. The thrust of the propeller of my 260 hp engine at idle rotated me off of the taxiway. I could not see an obstruction and thought all would be ok. I pulled back on the yoke fully. I hit a taxiway light and damaged 1 blade of my propeller. I did not shut down because I assumed no hazard. Perhaps the taxiway light was already half broken, for I never saw it. The noise I heard was minor. This blade needs replacing, and the engine will probably undergo a ground strike inspection teardown. Although the time was short, perhaps I might have quickly shut down the engine. However, with the safety of others in my mind, I cannot be sure. The asphalt should be the same level as the grass within 1/2', and the taxiway lights should have breakaway joints and made of plastic!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PROPELLER STRIKE AS SMA PLT LOSES CTL OF ACFT DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. EXCURSION FROM TXWY.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING TO FBO W SIDE MAINT AT BWI, I HAD MADE 2 NORMAL LEFT TURNS WHEN BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION AND FOG AND RAIN, PLUS LONG TIME FAMILIARITY WITH THE E RAMP, I BEGAN TO PASS QUEBEC TXWY AND THE RIGHT TURN I NEEDED OT MAKE. I MOVED TO THE RIGHT IN A SIDESTEP IN ORDER TO MAKE A 270 DEG TURN TO SAFELY MISS THE CORNER OF KILO AND QUEBEC; HOWEVER, RIGHT, THEN LEFT BRAKE WERE FOUND TO BE FADING. I COULD NOT LET UP ON THE RIGHT BRAKE DUE TO POSSIBILITY OF XING ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY 33R 15L, ON WHICH COMMUTERS WERE LNDG EVERY SEVERAL MINS. IN MY PERIPHERAL VISION I SAW ONE AT THIS TIME. THE THRUST OF THE PROP OF MY 260 HP ENG AT IDLE ROTATED ME OFF OF THE TXWY. I COULD NOT SEE AN OBSTRUCTION AND THOUGHT ALL WOULD BE OK. I PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE FULLY. I HIT A TXWY LIGHT AND DAMAGED 1 BLADE OF MY PROP. I DID NOT SHUT DOWN BECAUSE I ASSUMED NO HAZARD. PERHAPS THE TXWY LIGHT WAS ALREADY HALF BROKEN, FOR I NEVER SAW IT. THE NOISE I HEARD WAS MINOR. THIS BLADE NEEDS REPLACING, AND THE ENG WILL PROBABLY UNDERGO A GND STRIKE INSPECTION TEARDOWN. ALTHOUGH THE TIME WAS SHORT, PERHAPS I MIGHT HAVE QUICKLY SHUT DOWN THE ENG. HOWEVER, WITH THE SAFETY OF OTHERS IN MY MIND, I CANNOT BE SURE. THE ASPHALT SHOULD BE THE SAME LEVEL AS THE GRASS WITHIN 1/2', AND THE TXWY LIGHTS SHOULD HAVE BREAKAWAY JOINTS AND MADE OF PLASTIC!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.