Narrative:

I landed on runway 18 at night, in bhm. Not being familiar with the airport I asked for a progressive taxi to a specific FBO. Since I had landed on runway 18, I had to taxi on taxiway a to the end of runway 5. I had to cross runway 5 to get to the other taxiway. When I asked and received permission to cross runway 5, the traffic controller said 'look straight ahead and you will see the FBO. Just taxi straight ahead.' this I did, and into a ditch. The taxiway was very dark in this particular area. The taxiway lights are very far apart. By following instructions from tower I put my aircraft in a ditch. The man from the FBO stated, 'you are not the first and won't be the last until they put some lights out here.' I was not told the taxiway made a right turn and about 200 yds from where I went into the ditch was a sign to the FBO. Suggest FBO sign be placed where I went into ditch and lights placed on ramp at FBO. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this pilot was unfamiliar with this airport so he had all of the piper seneca's lights on (the landing light and wingtip recognition lights) and asked for a progressive taxi. He is certain that he would not have taxied into the ditch had a sign been in front of him or the taxiway lights located closer together. Once the aircraft started into the ditch, the aircraft nose gear collapsed and broke away from the aircraft and the propellers struck the ground. During follow-up investigation this reporter was told that the lighting met with the approved standards.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE ON A NIGHT FLT, A PLT OF A PIPER SENECA TAXIED INTO A DITCH AFTER ASKING FOR A PROGRESSIVE TAXI AT BHM. THE NOSE GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF AND THE PROPS STRUCK THE GND BEFORE THE PLT COULD SHUT DOWN THE ENGS. THE RPTR CITES THE CLRNC, TXWY LIGHTING, AND SIGNAGE AS CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Narrative: I LANDED ON RWY 18 AT NIGHT, IN BHM. NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT I ASKED FOR A PROGRESSIVE TAXI TO A SPECIFIC FBO. SINCE I HAD LANDED ON RWY 18, I HAD TO TAXI ON TXWY A TO THE END OF RWY 5. I HAD TO CROSS RWY 5 TO GET TO THE OTHER TXWY. WHEN I ASKED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO CROSS RWY 5, THE TFC CTLR SAID 'LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD AND YOU WILL SEE THE FBO. JUST TAXI STRAIGHT AHEAD.' THIS I DID, AND INTO A DITCH. THE TXWY WAS VERY DARK IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA. THE TXWY LIGHTS ARE VERY FAR APART. BY FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS FROM TWR I PUT MY ACFT IN A DITCH. THE MAN FROM THE FBO STATED, 'YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST AND WON'T BE THE LAST UNTIL THEY PUT SOME LIGHTS OUT HERE.' I WAS NOT TOLD THE TXWY MADE A R TURN AND ABOUT 200 YDS FROM WHERE I WENT INTO THE DITCH WAS A SIGN TO THE FBO. SUGGEST FBO SIGN BE PLACED WHERE I WENT INTO DITCH AND LIGHTS PLACED ON RAMP AT FBO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS PLT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS ARPT SO HE HAD ALL OF THE PIPER SENECA'S LIGHTS ON (THE LNDG LIGHT AND WINGTIP RECOGNITION LIGHTS) AND ASKED FOR A PROGRESSIVE TAXI. HE IS CERTAIN THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE TAXIED INTO THE DITCH HAD A SIGN BEEN IN FRONT OF HIM OR THE TXWY LIGHTS LOCATED CLOSER TOGETHER. ONCE THE ACFT STARTED INTO THE DITCH, THE ACFT NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND BROKE AWAY FROM THE ACFT AND THE PROPS STRUCK THE GND. DURING FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATION THIS RPTR WAS TOLD THAT THE LIGHTING MET WITH THE APPROVED STANDARDS.

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.