Small aircraft propeller strike on inoperative taxiway light in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	262670
Time
Date	199401
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 3 flight time total : 127 flight time type : 127
ASRS Report	262670
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance 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
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

On the night in question, I was taxiing from FBO to southwest parking. There were no light signs directing traffic to southwest parking, only taxi lights and runway lights along with runway identifying lights. The line I was taxiing along broke into a few different directions as I approached a parking lot adjacent to the university aviation department. I continued straight along my taxi line. I eventually ended up at a dead end. I then turned around in a 180 degree turn. I headed back looking for another taxi line that would lead me to my destination. Shortly after I turned around, I encountered a taxi line running perpendicular to the taxi line I was following. I then made a 90 degree turn right. I was now established on a taxi line that was taking me in the general direction I wanted to go. Shortly after my 90 degree turn, I could see another taxi line that was going to merge with my taxi line from the left. I could also identify blue taxi lights outlining the taxiway. As I approached the other taxiway, my taxi line disappeared and my propeller struck a taxi light that was not lit. I would estimate that the distance between the taxi light and the end of the line I was following was approximately 5 to 10 ft. Contributing factors: poor lighting, inadequate taxi lines. I believe that there should exist better lighting for aircraft parking lots and taxi lights. Sjc ground crew should keep on top of lights that are not in proper working order.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PROP STRIKE ON INOP TXWY LIGHT IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: ON THE NIGHT IN QUESTION, I WAS TAXIING FROM FBO TO SW PARKING. THERE WERE NO LIGHT SIGNS DIRECTING TFC TO SW PARKING, ONLY TAXI LIGHTS AND RWY LIGHTS ALONG WITH RWY IDENTIFYING LIGHTS. THE LINE I WAS TAXIING ALONG BROKE INTO A FEW DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AS I APCHED A PARKING LOT ADJACENT TO THE UNIVERSITY AVIATION DEPT. I CONTINUED STRAIGHT ALONG MY TAXI LINE. I EVENTUALLY ENDED UP AT A DEAD END. I THEN TURNED AROUND IN A 180 DEG TURN. I HEADED BACK LOOKING FOR ANOTHER TAXI LINE THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO MY DEST. SHORTLY AFTER I TURNED AROUND, I ENCOUNTERED A TAXI LINE RUNNING PERPENDICULAR TO THE TAXI LINE I WAS FOLLOWING. I THEN MADE A 90 DEG TURN R. I WAS NOW ESTABLISHED ON A TAXI LINE THAT WAS TAKING ME IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION I WANTED TO GO. SHORTLY AFTER MY 90 DEG TURN, I COULD SEE ANOTHER TAXI LINE THAT WAS GOING TO MERGE WITH MY TAXI LINE FROM THE L. I COULD ALSO IDENTIFY BLUE TAXI LIGHTS OUTLINING THE TXWY. AS I APCHED THE OTHER TXWY, MY TAXI LINE DISAPPEARED AND MY PROP STRUCK A TAXI LIGHT THAT WAS NOT LIT. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT THE DISTANCE BTWN THE TAXI LIGHT AND THE END OF THE LINE I WAS FOLLOWING WAS APPROX 5 TO 10 FT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: POOR LIGHTING, INADEQUATE TAXI LINES. I BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD EXIST BETTER LIGHTING FOR ACFT PARKING LOTS AND TAXI LIGHTS. SJC GND CREW SHOULD KEEP ON TOP OF LIGHTS THAT ARE NOT IN PROPER WORKING ORDER.

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.