Runway excursion in small aircraft during a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	315430
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : syr
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 139 flight time total : 871 flight time type : 470
ASRS Report	315430
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After landing, during taxi to ramp, prior to leaving runway, taxied across runway edge lights, hitting 2 with tire. It was a dark night, runway lights were very low, cockpit tasks distracted me momentarily and aircraft crossed left runway edge lights. When I determined this had happened I straightened aircraft and proceeded to taxiway. The sound of the tire hitting light alerted me to reassess my location. Dim lights made position determination difficult.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY EXCURSION IN SMA DURING A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG, DURING TAXI TO RAMP, PRIOR TO LEAVING RWY, TAXIED ACROSS RWY EDGE LIGHTS, HITTING 2 WITH TIRE. IT WAS A DARK NIGHT, RWY LIGHTS WERE VERY LOW, COCKPIT TASKS DISTRACTED ME MOMENTARILY AND ACFT CROSSED L RWY EDGE LIGHTS. WHEN I DETERMINED THIS HAD HAPPENED I STRAIGHTENED ACFT AND PROCEEDED TO TXWY. THE SOUND OF THE TIRE HITTING LIGHT ALERTED ME TO REASSESS MY LOCATION. DIM LIGHTS MADE POS DETERMINATION DIFFICULT.

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.