<< >> NASA ASRS Report 383790, October 1997

Small aircraft pilot runs off the taxiway during a night taxi operation. He states that the blue lights ended too soon, the yellow paint was worn and the lights from the hangar blinded him. His aircraft ran into a ditch off the side of the taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	383790
Time
Date	199710
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bhm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cle
Make Model Name	Mooney Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 19 flight time total : 657 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	383790
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

I landed on runway 5 at bhm. I was advised to take a left or right taxiway and I chose the left taxiway (taxiway H3). I advised the controller that I was not familiar with the field and to please direct me to the FBO. I came to the alabama ANG and stopped and asked for further directions. The controller advised me to hold. I was then advised to do a 180 degree and taxi to the FBO at the end of taxiway H. I came to the end and turned right and as I cleared the blue lights I saw what appeared to be the FBO office so I commenced a slight left turn to proceed toward what appeared to be the office when the plane ran off the taxiway and into a ditch. The plane moved forward and down and the motor stopped when the propeller hit the dirt. I believe the cause of this was a poorly marked taxiway. The blue lights should have gone far enough to clear the hazard. Also, the yellow stripes on the pavement were worn and hard to see and there were bright hangar lights shining at me which caused a visual problem. I was in a mooney aircraft which is low to the ground.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT RUNS OFF THE TXWY DURING A NIGHT TAXI OP. HE STATES THAT THE BLUE LIGHTS ENDED TOO SOON, THE YELLOW PAINT WAS WORN AND THE LIGHTS FROM THE HANGAR BLINDED HIM. HIS ACFT RAN INTO A DITCH OFF THE SIDE OF THE TXWY.

Narrative: I LANDED ON RWY 5 AT BHM. I WAS ADVISED TO TAKE A L OR R TXWY AND I CHOSE THE L TXWY (TXWY H3). I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE FIELD AND TO PLEASE DIRECT ME TO THE FBO. I CAME TO THE ALABAMA ANG AND STOPPED AND ASKED FOR FURTHER DIRECTIONS. THE CTLR ADVISED ME TO HOLD. I WAS THEN ADVISED TO DO A 180 DEG AND TAXI TO THE FBO AT THE END OF TXWY H. I CAME TO THE END AND TURNED R AND AS I CLRED THE BLUE LIGHTS I SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE FBO OFFICE SO I COMMENCED A SLIGHT L TURN TO PROCEED TOWARD WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE OFFICE WHEN THE PLANE RAN OFF THE TXWY AND INTO A DITCH. THE PLANE MOVED FORWARD AND DOWN AND THE MOTOR STOPPED WHEN THE PROP HIT THE DIRT. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THIS WAS A POORLY MARKED TXWY. THE BLUE LIGHTS SHOULD HAVE GONE FAR ENOUGH TO CLR THE HAZARD. ALSO, THE YELLOW STRIPES ON THE PAVEMENT WERE WORN AND HARD TO SEE AND THERE WERE BRIGHT HANGAR LIGHTS SHINING AT ME WHICH CAUSED A VISUAL PROB. I WAS IN A MOONEY ACFT WHICH IS LOW TO THE GND.

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.