GA small aircraft runway excursion after landing at hpn.

Attributes
ACN	174789
Time
Date	199104
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hpn
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hvn
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 240 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	174789
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After landing at westchester county airport, I was diverted to taxi to the ramp. As I was taxiing down runway 11, I was distracted by an unusual sound like glass breaking or metal parts clinking. Near the intersection with runway 16, I became confused by the combination of lights from the 2 runways. I turned onto what I thought was the intersection of the 2 runways leading to taxiway 10. I quickly realized I had taxied onto the grass. There was no damage and I was able to taxi to the ramp. The sound I heard turned out to be coins falling out of my pocket and onto the microphone of the headset, which was on the adjoining seat. I obviously should have paid closer attention to taxiing the aircraft, and sorted out the unusual noise problem later. I was in the process of completing a series of stop and go lndgs for night currency so that I could legally fly my passenger home. During 1 such stop and go, I neglected to raise the flaps for takeoff. I did not realize my error until the aircraft was airborne. I got the aircraft cleaned up ok, cleared all terrain safely and continued in the pattern to land. It was after this occurrence that the taxi mistake happened. In the future, I will not practice maneuver or fly solo to regain required currency at unfamiliar airports. The cost for a CFI to come along is well worth it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA RWY EXCURSION AFTER LNDG AT HPN.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AT WESTCHESTER COUNTY ARPT, I WAS DIVERTED TO TAXI TO THE RAMP. AS I WAS TAXIING DOWN RWY 11, I WAS DISTRACTED BY AN UNUSUAL SOUND LIKE GLASS BREAKING OR METAL PARTS CLINKING. NEAR THE INTXN WITH RWY 16, I BECAME CONFUSED BY THE COMBINATION OF LIGHTS FROM THE 2 RWYS. I TURNED ONTO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE INTXN OF THE 2 RWYS LEADING TO TXWY 10. I QUICKLY REALIZED I HAD TAXIED ONTO THE GRASS. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE AND I WAS ABLE TO TAXI TO THE RAMP. THE SOUND I HEARD TURNED OUT TO BE COINS FALLING OUT OF MY POCKET AND ONTO THE MIC OF THE HEADSET, WHICH WAS ON THE ADJOINING SEAT. I OBVIOUSLY SHOULD HAVE PAID CLOSER ATTN TO TAXIING THE ACFT, AND SORTED OUT THE UNUSUAL NOISE PROB LATER. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING A SERIES OF STOP AND GO LNDGS FOR NIGHT CURRENCY SO THAT I COULD LEGALLY FLY MY PAX HOME. DURING 1 SUCH STOP AND GO, I NEGLECTED TO RAISE THE FLAPS FOR TKOF. I DID NOT REALIZE MY ERROR UNTIL THE ACFT WAS AIRBORNE. I GOT THE ACFT CLEANED UP OK, CLRED ALL TERRAIN SAFELY AND CONTINUED IN THE PATTERN TO LAND. IT WAS AFTER THIS OCCURRENCE THAT THE TAXI MISTAKE HAPPENED. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT PRACTICE MANEUVER OR FLY SOLO TO REGAIN REQUIRED CURRENCY AT UNFAMILIAR ARPTS. THE COST FOR A CFI TO COME ALONG IS WELL WORTH IT.

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.