C182 private pilot was distraction while taxiing and hit runway light with propeller. Reporter thoug...

Attributes
ACN	388825
Time
Date	199712
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : k82
State Reference	KS
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 404 flight time type : 94
ASRS Report	388825
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At approximately XX18 at smith center, ks, after usual preflight and runup, I back-taxied on runway 17 for takeoff. There is a turnaround to the left of the runway with some cracks in the asphalt and grass growing through them. I pulled off the runway to the left and began a turn to the right to swing onto runway 17. As I began coming around to the right, some materials on the passenger seat fell off, momentarily distracting me. At this instant I felt the airplane contact something. I could see that contact had been made with a light at the end of the runway. I am unsure of the operational status of the runway lights at the time of the incident. It was my perception that I had hit the light with the left wheel strut. I checked the strut and there appeared to be no significant damage. The engine was running smoothly with no vibration. I proceeded to fly to my destination. Upon completion of the flight and shutdown, I discovered that there had been some damage to 1 blade of the 3-BLADED propeller. During the flight itself, there was no perceptible evidence of any alteration in performance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PVT PLT WAS DISTR WHILE TAXIING AND HIT RWY LIGHT WITH PROP. RPTR THOUGHT HE HIT IT WITH A WHEEL AND CHKED VISUALLY. FLT WAS CONTINUED AND PROP DAMAGE DISCOVERED AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: AT APPROX XX18 AT SMITH CTR, KS, AFTER USUAL PREFLT AND RUNUP, I BACK-TAXIED ON RWY 17 FOR TKOF. THERE IS A TURNAROUND TO THE L OF THE RWY WITH SOME CRACKS IN THE ASPHALT AND GRASS GROWING THROUGH THEM. I PULLED OFF THE RWY TO THE L AND BEGAN A TURN TO THE R TO SWING ONTO RWY 17. AS I BEGAN COMING AROUND TO THE R, SOME MATERIALS ON THE PAX SEAT FELL OFF, MOMENTARILY DISTRACTING ME. AT THIS INSTANT I FELT THE AIRPLANE CONTACT SOMETHING. I COULD SEE THAT CONTACT HAD BEEN MADE WITH A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE RWY. I AM UNSURE OF THE OPERATIONAL STATUS OF THE RWY LIGHTS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. IT WAS MY PERCEPTION THAT I HAD HIT THE LIGHT WITH THE L WHEEL STRUT. I CHKED THE STRUT AND THERE APPEARED TO BE NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. THE ENG WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY WITH NO VIBRATION. I PROCEEDED TO FLY TO MY DEST. UPON COMPLETION OF THE FLT AND SHUTDOWN, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME DAMAGE TO 1 BLADE OF THE 3-BLADED PROP. DURING THE FLT ITSELF, THERE WAS NO PERCEPTIBLE EVIDENCE OF ANY ALTERATION IN PERFORMANCE.

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.

C182 private pilot was distraction while taxiing and hit runway light with propeller. Reporter thought he hit it with a wheel and checked visually. Flight was continued and propeller damage discovered after landing.