Aircraft hit ditch while taxiing and struck propeller.

Attributes
ACN	306374
Time
Date	199505
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cie
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
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 : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 17 flight time total : 1540 flight time type : 1060
ASRS Report	306374
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Having landed east to west along a county dirt road paralleling hi-voltage transmission lines with a left quartering crosswind moving the plane toward the power lines on the right. I was nervous and elated at achieving my goal. Taxiing down the road toward a tie down area (bladed off on the private land by the party we were visiting) I failed to notice the only drainage cut along this road lay between myself and the intended tie down. The nosewheel entered the depression (drainage cut) and the propeller flung dirt and rocks in all directions. While none of the onlookers were injured this event could have had some serious results affecting others lives and property. I believe that I failed to remember I was still 'flying the plane' even though in taxi phase. While I'll not entirely forget this incident, I believe the only way I could have avoided it was to be as prepared for the taxi and tie-down phase as I was prepared for the cross country, navigation, and meteorological aspects. The owner's statement that he had 'bladed off a tie-down area' for me was taken at the level that he knew what he was doing. Since he is a non-pilot, I erred in trusting his statement to imply a safe and normal access to the tie-down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT HIT DITCH WHILE TAXIING AND STRUCK PROP.

Narrative: HAVING LANDED E TO W ALONG A COUNTY DIRT ROAD PARALLELING HI-VOLTAGE XMISSION LINES WITH A L QUARTERING XWIND MOVING THE PLANE TOWARD THE PWR LINES ON THE R. I WAS NERVOUS AND ELATED AT ACHIEVING MY GOAL. TAXIING DOWN THE ROAD TOWARD A TIE DOWN AREA (BLADED OFF ON THE PVT LAND BY THE PARTY WE WERE VISITING) I FAILED TO NOTICE THE ONLY DRAINAGE CUT ALONG THIS ROAD LAY BTWN MYSELF AND THE INTENDED TIE DOWN. THE NOSEWHEEL ENTERED THE DEPRESSION (DRAINAGE CUT) AND THE PROP FLUNG DIRT AND ROCKS IN ALL DIRECTIONS. WHILE NONE OF THE ONLOOKERS WERE INJURED THIS EVENT COULD HAVE HAD SOME SERIOUS RESULTS AFFECTING OTHERS LIVES AND PROPERTY. I BELIEVE THAT I FAILED TO REMEMBER I WAS STILL 'FLYING THE PLANE' EVEN THOUGH IN TAXI PHASE. WHILE I'LL NOT ENTIRELY FORGET THIS INCIDENT, I BELIEVE THE ONLY WAY I COULD HAVE AVOIDED IT WAS TO BE AS PREPARED FOR THE TAXI AND TIE-DOWN PHASE AS I WAS PREPARED FOR THE XCOUNTRY, NAV, AND METEOROLOGICAL ASPECTS. THE OWNER'S STATEMENT THAT HE HAD 'BLADED OFF A TIE-DOWN AREA' FOR ME WAS TAKEN AT THE LEVEL THAT HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. SINCE HE IS A NON-PLT, I ERRED IN TRUSTING HIS STATEMENT TO IMPLY A SAFE AND NORMAL ACCESS TO THE TIE-DOWN.

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.