Narrative:

Taxied out from gate area in memphis. To contacted ground. Told to follow mdt X for 36L. Did as follows. At the intersection of india and aa mdt X stopped. We (light transport Y) were asked if we could maneuver around. At that time we had plenty of room. We said we could. We began taxiing around. At that point mdt X added power and blocked india totally. First officer then advised tower we could no longer maneuver around. Mdt X was then asked to maneuver north on aa, do a 180 and follow light transport Y. At that point mdt X added power and began moving, we also added power and began moving behind him. At that point we heard a bang, like something from the back falling down. We visually checked the cabin and concluded it must have been the rudder movement caused by mdt X adding so much power. We carried on, and the flight went great. Following morning first officer doing preflight noticed tipped propellers. Advised captain and proper actions were taken. Back in memphis, we finally concluded that we had hit a taxi light which had not been lit. If we had seen the light we obviously would not have hit it. More lighting is very essential in the particular area of mem. Upon asking 20 pilots if there was a taxi light there each replied 'of course not that would be a stupid area to have one.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Analyst spoke with an area supervisor at mem to discuss the area of the incident. The supervisor stated the runup area used is not an authorized area for taxi or runup. Air carrier uses this area because it is convenient to their operation. The tower approves taxi to this area and informs the aircraft to use the area at their own risk. Airport manager has been silent about closing the area by NOTAM or airport directive.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT ACFT BEING MANEUVERED AROUND ANOTHER ACFT UNKNOWINGLY HIT AN UNLIT TAXIWAY LIGHT WITH PROP TIP. FLT CONTINUED. BENT PROP DISCOVERED POSTFLT.

Narrative: TAXIED OUT FROM GATE AREA IN MEMPHIS. TO CONTACTED GND. TOLD TO FOLLOW MDT X FOR 36L. DID AS FOLLOWS. AT THE INTXN OF INDIA AND AA MDT X STOPPED. WE (LTT Y) WERE ASKED IF WE COULD MANEUVER AROUND. AT THAT TIME WE HAD PLENTY OF ROOM. WE SAID WE COULD. WE BEGAN TAXIING AROUND. AT THAT POINT MDT X ADDED PWR AND BLOCKED INDIA TOTALLY. FO THEN ADVISED TWR WE COULD NO LONGER MANEUVER AROUND. MDT X WAS THEN ASKED TO MANEUVER N ON AA, DO A 180 AND FOLLOW LTT Y. AT THAT POINT MDT X ADDED PWR AND BEGAN MOVING, WE ALSO ADDED PWR AND BEGAN MOVING BEHIND HIM. AT THAT POINT WE HEARD A BANG, LIKE SOMETHING FROM THE BACK FALLING DOWN. WE VISUALLY CHKED THE CABIN AND CONCLUDED IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE RUDDER MOVEMENT CAUSED BY MDT X ADDING SO MUCH PWR. WE CARRIED ON, AND THE FLT WENT GREAT. FOLLOWING MORNING FO DOING PREFLT NOTICED TIPPED PROPS. ADVISED CAPT AND PROPER ACTIONS WERE TAKEN. BACK IN MEMPHIS, WE FINALLY CONCLUDED THAT WE HAD HIT A TAXI LIGHT WHICH HAD NOT BEEN LIT. IF WE HAD SEEN THE LIGHT WE OBVIOUSLY WOULD NOT HAVE HIT IT. MORE LIGHTING IS VERY ESSENTIAL IN THE PARTICULAR AREA OF MEM. UPON ASKING 20 PLTS IF THERE WAS A TAXI LIGHT THERE EACH REPLIED 'OF COURSE NOT THAT WOULD BE A STUPID AREA TO HAVE ONE.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. ANALYST SPOKE WITH AN AREA SUPVR AT MEM TO DISCUSS THE AREA OF THE INCIDENT. THE SUPVR STATED THE RUNUP AREA USED IS NOT AN AUTHORIZED AREA FOR TAXI OR RUNUP. ACR USES THIS AREA BECAUSE IT IS CONVENIENT TO THEIR OP. THE TWR APPROVES TAXI TO THIS AREA AND INFORMS THE ACFT TO USE THE AREA AT THEIR OWN RISK. ARPT MGR HAS BEEN SILENT ABOUT CLOSING THE AREA BY NOTAM OR ARPT DIRECTIVE.

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.