Small aircraft private pilot hit a runway light on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	283674
Time
Date	199409
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : swf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 165 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	283674
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was taxied to center runway intersection (as runway 27) for takeoff. We were cleared to taxi and immediately cleared for takeoff. The lights on the runway were very bright and I became disoriented. I believed myself to be in the center of the runway, however, I was on the left side of center. As I continued down the runway, I centered the aircraft to the white lights which I believed to be the center. They were side lights and I struck 1 as I was lifting off. I continued on the climb and did not notice any odd performance characteristics. I proceeded to fly a downwind departure and returned to my base at teterboro. Upon shutting down I noticed propeller damage (to 1 base). I feel that my inexperience at night takeoffs contributed to this problem. I also feel that on a runway of over 10000 ft aircraft should only depart full length to minimize disorientation. In retrospect the lights should have been dimmer also.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PVT PLT HIT A RWY LIGHT ON TKOF.

Narrative: ACFT WAS TAXIED TO CTR RWY INTXN (AS RWY 27) FOR TKOF. WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI AND IMMEDIATELY CLRED FOR TKOF. THE LIGHTS ON THE RWY WERE VERY BRIGHT AND I BECAME DISORIENTED. I BELIEVED MYSELF TO BE IN THE CTR OF THE RWY, HOWEVER, I WAS ON THE L SIDE OF CTR. AS I CONTINUED DOWN THE RWY, I CTRED THE ACFT TO THE WHITE LIGHTS WHICH I BELIEVED TO BE THE CTR. THEY WERE SIDE LIGHTS AND I STRUCK 1 AS I WAS LIFTING OFF. I CONTINUED ON THE CLB AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY ODD PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS. I PROCEEDED TO FLY A DOWNWIND DEP AND RETURNED TO MY BASE AT TETERBORO. UPON SHUTTING DOWN I NOTICED PROP DAMAGE (TO 1 BASE). I FEEL THAT MY INEXPERIENCE AT NIGHT TKOFS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROB. I ALSO FEEL THAT ON A RWY OF OVER 10000 FT ACFT SHOULD ONLY DEPART FULL LENGTH TO MINIMIZE DISORIENTATION. IN RETROSPECT THE LIGHTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DIMMER ALSO.

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.