Narrative:

After start and clearance, taxied out of ramp area to intercept taxiway to runway 18. Taxi light was out or burned out when it was turned on. Ramp area intersected taxiway a at 90 degree angle with taxi lights on east side only. During start of turn, I allowed myself to become occupied with something in cockpit, do not remember what, resulting in taxiing beyond taxiway onto grass. Right gear dropped in depression in ground. Did not think drop enough for propeller strike, asked copilot if we got strike and he also did not think so. Did not stop and shut down. Departed VFR to mem -- passenger waiting and eager to go. Loaded passenger and started up without thinking to check propeller. Flight to GA smooth and uneventful. Aircraft and engines smooth and all parameters of engine operation standard. Upon landing, off loaded passenger. Attention was brought to condition of right propeller by pilot of another aircraft who parked after we did. All 3 blades had contacted ground a depth of approximately 3-4 inches and uniformly bent back about 5 or 6 degrees, approximately 10-11 inches from propeller tips. Called dispatch and reported incident -- requested replacement aircraft reported to maintenance and contacted repair facility on airport. Should not have allowed myself to be distracted while moving on ground, and should have shut engine down and examined propeller regardless of situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX RAN OFF OF TXWY AT DAWN-NIGHT RESULTING IN R PROP STRIKE.

Narrative: AFTER START AND CLRNC, TAXIED OUT OF RAMP AREA TO INTERCEPT TXWY TO RWY 18. TAXI LIGHT WAS OUT OR BURNED OUT WHEN IT WAS TURNED ON. RAMP AREA INTERSECTED TXWY A AT 90 DEG ANGLE WITH TAXI LIGHTS ON E SIDE ONLY. DURING START OF TURN, I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME OCCUPIED WITH SOMETHING IN COCKPIT, DO NOT REMEMBER WHAT, RESULTING IN TAXIING BEYOND TXWY ONTO GRASS. R GEAR DROPPED IN DEPRESSION IN GND. DID NOT THINK DROP ENOUGH FOR PROP STRIKE, ASKED COPLT IF WE GOT STRIKE AND HE ALSO DID NOT THINK SO. DID NOT STOP AND SHUT DOWN. DEPARTED VFR TO MEM -- PAX WAITING AND EAGER TO GO. LOADED PAX AND STARTED UP WITHOUT THINKING TO CHK PROP. FLT TO GA SMOOTH AND UNEVENTFUL. ACFT AND ENGS SMOOTH AND ALL PARAMETERS OF ENG OP STANDARD. UPON LNDG, OFF LOADED PAX. ATTN WAS BROUGHT TO CONDITION OF R PROP BY PLT OF ANOTHER ACFT WHO PARKED AFTER WE DID. ALL 3 BLADES HAD CONTACTED GND A DEPTH OF APPROX 3-4 INCHES AND UNIFORMLY BENT BACK ABOUT 5 OR 6 DEGS, APPROX 10-11 INCHES FROM PROP TIPS. CALLED DISPATCH AND RPTED INCIDENT -- REQUESTED REPLACEMENT ACFT RPTED TO MAINT AND CONTACTED REPAIR FACILITY ON ARPT. SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE DISTRACTED WHILE MOVING ON GND, AND SHOULD HAVE SHUT ENG DOWN AND EXAMINED PROP REGARDLESS OF SIT.

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.