Pilot struck light pole on ramp while taxiing to parking, causing damage to the wing leading edge.

Attributes
ACN	285789
Time
Date	199410
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dlh
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 63 flight time type : 58
ASRS Report	285789
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After landing on runway 21, I proceeded on to alpha taxiway towards the ramp. I saw 2 aircraft parked next to a chain- link fence, and was under the impression that was where the FBO was located. As I neared the 2 aircraft I also noticed several tie-down slots on the ramp along with a piece of asphalt that went back farther than where the 2 aircraft were parked. As I turned around in that area, planning on parking next to the 2 aircraft, I was abruptly stopped. Thinking I hit something in front of me, I shut down the aircraft. I then noticed the left wing and the light pole that I had hit. The light was not lit. There are several light poles that were lit along the chain-link fence, however, the single light post that I struck was in the center of the asphalt area, without anything surrounding it. I then got out of the aircraft and walked towards the building that I thought was the FBO. After walking around it I realized that the FBO was farther down. When I walked towards the FBO there was a line-man already at the aircraft and he had witnessed the whole thing. After walking into the FBO I closed my flight plan and called the acting supervisor of flying. From the time I had approached duluth to the time of the accident it had been dark. It was black out.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT STRUCK LIGHT POLE ON RAMP WHILE TAXIING TO PARKING, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE WING LEADING EDGE.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 21, I PROCEEDED ON TO ALPHA TXWY TOWARDS THE RAMP. I SAW 2 ACFT PARKED NEXT TO A CHAIN- LINK FENCE, AND WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WAS WHERE THE FBO WAS LOCATED. AS I NEARED THE 2 ACFT I ALSO NOTICED SEVERAL TIE-DOWN SLOTS ON THE RAMP ALONG WITH A PIECE OF ASPHALT THAT WENT BACK FARTHER THAN WHERE THE 2 ACFT WERE PARKED. AS I TURNED AROUND IN THAT AREA, PLANNING ON PARKING NEXT TO THE 2 ACFT, I WAS ABRUPTLY STOPPED. THINKING I HIT SOMETHING IN FRONT OF ME, I SHUT DOWN THE ACFT. I THEN NOTICED THE L WING AND THE LIGHT POLE THAT I HAD HIT. THE LIGHT WAS NOT LIT. THERE ARE SEVERAL LIGHT POLES THAT WERE LIT ALONG THE CHAIN-LINK FENCE, HOWEVER, THE SINGLE LIGHT POST THAT I STRUCK WAS IN THE CTR OF THE ASPHALT AREA, WITHOUT ANYTHING SURROUNDING IT. I THEN GOT OUT OF THE ACFT AND WALKED TOWARDS THE BUILDING THAT I THOUGHT WAS THE FBO. AFTER WALKING AROUND IT I REALIZED THAT THE FBO WAS FARTHER DOWN. WHEN I WALKED TOWARDS THE FBO THERE WAS A LINE-MAN ALREADY AT THE ACFT AND HE HAD WITNESSED THE WHOLE THING. AFTER WALKING INTO THE FBO I CLOSED MY FLT PLAN AND CALLED THE ACTING SUPVR OF FLYING. FROM THE TIME I HAD APCHED DULUTH TO THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IT HAD BEEN DARK. IT WAS BLACK OUT.

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.