Small aircraft taxi is too fast, runs off end of runway.

Attributes
ACN	247323
Time
Date	199307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 1450 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	247323
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was taxiing at mem at XA30 pm sbound on taxiway bb in a twin small aircraft. I felt that I was familiar with the airport due to my frequency of use of the txwys at mem. Unfortunately, I was not familiar with the south end of taxiway bb. I decided to taxi at a faster pace than normal taxi speed to reduce the operating cost of the airplane. To save the wear on the wing lights I decided to leave them off. The combined confign of a high speed taxi, a reduction in forward illumination, and unfamiliarity of the taxiway in use, set the stage for a dangerous situation. Several ft beyond the end of taxiway bb, the grass surface declines at about a 15 percent grade approximately 20 ft vertically. By the time I saw the end of taxiway bb, I was unable to cease forward motion of the airplane before leaving the end of the taxiway onto the grass surface. Unfortunately, I didn't stop fully until I was on the upper part of the declining surface. Fortunately, no one was hurt and the airplane did not receive any damages, but embarrassingly the aircraft had to be towed from the declining surface. I learned that the risk of lives, potential damage to the airplane, potential suspension of my airman certificate, and a $200.00 towing fee, costs a lot more than a few tenths of the hobbs meter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TAXI IS TOO FAST, RUNS OFF END OF RWY.

Narrative: I WAS TAXIING AT MEM AT XA30 PM SBOUND ON TXWY BB IN A TWIN SMA. I FELT THAT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT DUE TO MY FREQ OF USE OF THE TXWYS AT MEM. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE S END OF TXWY BB. I DECIDED TO TAXI AT A FASTER PACE THAN NORMAL TAXI SPD TO REDUCE THE OPERATING COST OF THE AIRPLANE. TO SAVE THE WEAR ON THE WING LIGHTS I DECIDED TO LEAVE THEM OFF. THE COMBINED CONFIGN OF A HIGH SPD TAXI, A REDUCTION IN FORWARD ILLUMINATION, AND UNFAMILIARITY OF THE TXWY IN USE, SET THE STAGE FOR A DANGEROUS SIT. SEVERAL FT BEYOND THE END OF TXWY BB, THE GRASS SURFACE DECLINES AT ABOUT A 15 PERCENT GRADE APPROX 20 FT VERTICALLY. BY THE TIME I SAW THE END OF TXWY BB, I WAS UNABLE TO CEASE FORWARD MOTION OF THE AIRPLANE BEFORE LEAVING THE END OF THE TXWY ONTO THE GRASS SURFACE. UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T STOP FULLY UNTIL I WAS ON THE UPPER PART OF THE DECLINING SURFACE. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT AND THE AIRPLANE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY DAMAGES, BUT EMBARRASSINGLY THE ACFT HAD TO BE TOWED FROM THE DECLINING SURFACE. I LEARNED THAT THE RISK OF LIVES, POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE, POTENTIAL SUSPENSION OF MY AIRMAN CERTIFICATE, AND A $200.00 TOWING FEE, COSTS A LOT MORE THAN A FEW TENTHS OF THE HOBBS METER.

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.