Narrative:

As we taxied into the ramp from the active runway we were instructed by the ground controller to 'turn right on the parallel taxiway and look for the follow me truck.' the copilot and I were both unfamiliar with the airport so as I taxied he looked at the airport diagram trying to determine the location of the parallel taxiway, which was not designated on the airport diagram. I continued to taxi into the ramp while looking for the parallel taxiway and the follow me truck. After entering the ramp I turned right to join the first single yellow line I saw which I assumed to be the centerline of the parallel taxiway. As I made the turn, the right propeller struck the taxiway lights located at the corner of the intersection. The debris from the taxiway lights also struck the left propeller. The ramp at laughlin AFB has taxiway edge lights coming onto the ramp and parallel to the edge of the pavement. These lights are offset from the edge of the pavement approximately 60-70 ft. While coming into the ramp the lights are located on the taxiway edge line but as they turn to follow the ramp and parallel the pavement edge they are offset 5-10 ft. The taxiway edge line is a single yellow line so as I entered the ramp, and looked to the right, the first single yellow line I saw was actually the edge line. I think many different events combined to cause this situation but the 2 main problems were a lack of coordination between the crew members and the nonstandard markings on the airport movement areas.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN ATX TWIN TURBOPROP TURNED EARLY ONTO THE RAMP STRIKING A TXWY LIGHT DUE TO FOLLOWING THE TXWY YELLOW EDGE LINE WHICH WAS MISTAKEN FOR THE TXWY CTRLINE. BOTH PROPS WERE DAMAGED.

Narrative: AS WE TAXIED INTO THE RAMP FROM THE ACTIVE RWY WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY THE GND CTLR TO 'TURN R ON THE PARALLEL TXWY AND LOOK FOR THE FOLLOW ME TRUCK.' THE COPLT AND I WERE BOTH UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT SO AS I TAXIED HE LOOKED AT THE ARPT DIAGRAM TRYING TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION OF THE PARALLEL TXWY, WHICH WAS NOT DESIGNATED ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM. I CONTINUED TO TAXI INTO THE RAMP WHILE LOOKING FOR THE PARALLEL TXWY AND THE FOLLOW ME TRUCK. AFTER ENTERING THE RAMP I TURNED R TO JOIN THE FIRST SINGLE YELLOW LINE I SAW WHICH I ASSUMED TO BE THE CTRLINE OF THE PARALLEL TXWY. AS I MADE THE TURN, THE R PROP STRUCK THE TXWY LIGHTS LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF THE INTXN. THE DEBRIS FROM THE TXWY LIGHTS ALSO STRUCK THE L PROP. THE RAMP AT LAUGHLIN AFB HAS TXWY EDGE LIGHTS COMING ONTO THE RAMP AND PARALLEL TO THE EDGE OF THE PAVEMENT. THESE LIGHTS ARE OFFSET FROM THE EDGE OF THE PAVEMENT APPROX 60-70 FT. WHILE COMING INTO THE RAMP THE LIGHTS ARE LOCATED ON THE TXWY EDGE LINE BUT AS THEY TURN TO FOLLOW THE RAMP AND PARALLEL THE PAVEMENT EDGE THEY ARE OFFSET 5-10 FT. THE TXWY EDGE LINE IS A SINGLE YELLOW LINE SO AS I ENTERED THE RAMP, AND LOOKED TO THE R, THE FIRST SINGLE YELLOW LINE I SAW WAS ACTUALLY THE EDGE LINE. I THINK MANY DIFFERENT EVENTS COMBINED TO CAUSE THIS SIT BUT THE 2 MAIN PROBS WERE A LACK OF COORD BTWN THE CREW MEMBERS AND THE NONSTANDARD MARKINGS ON THE ARPT MOVEMENT AREAS.

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.