GA pilot departs bos after ground encounter with taxiway light.

Attributes
ACN	443059
Time
Date	199907
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	443059
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During progressive taxiing on taxiway a to north cargo area at bos airport, I was instructed by the ground control to turn left about 30 degrees. The area where I made that turn was poorly lit, and I lost the yellow taxi line. About 50 yards ahead of me, I saw a line of blue taxi lights. As I was turning away from these lights, I heard a weak thump from the right side of the airplane. Upon arriving at the north cargo area, I inspected the airplane under poor lighting conditions. I noticed what looked to me at the time as a minor damage to the leading edge of 1 blade of the right propeller. I ran the right engine at various engine speed from idle to takeoff power and found there were no vibrations or any other abnormalities. Based on the visual inspection and the runup, I concluded that it was safe to continue the flight. Upon arriving at home base, I notified the director of maintenance about the incident. He told me that the damage is not repairable. Had I known the extent of the damage on the site, I would have not continued the flight. It is my assumption that several taxi lights were not operative and that I must have hit one of them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT DEPARTS BOS AFTER GND ENCOUNTER WITH TXWY LIGHT.

Narrative: DURING PROGRESSIVE TAXIING ON TXWY A TO N CARGO AREA AT BOS ARPT, I WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE GND CTL TO TURN L ABOUT 30 DEGS. THE AREA WHERE I MADE THAT TURN WAS POORLY LIT, AND I LOST THE YELLOW TAXI LINE. ABOUT 50 YARDS AHEAD OF ME, I SAW A LINE OF BLUE TAXI LIGHTS. AS I WAS TURNING AWAY FROM THESE LIGHTS, I HEARD A WEAK THUMP FROM THE R SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE. UPON ARRIVING AT THE N CARGO AREA, I INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE UNDER POOR LIGHTING CONDITIONS. I NOTICED WHAT LOOKED TO ME AT THE TIME AS A MINOR DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE OF 1 BLADE OF THE R PROP. I RAN THE R ENG AT VARIOUS ENG SPD FROM IDLE TO TKOF PWR AND FOUND THERE WERE NO VIBRATIONS OR ANY OTHER ABNORMALITIES. BASED ON THE VISUAL INSPECTION AND THE RUNUP, I CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE THE FLT. UPON ARRIVING AT HOME BASE, I NOTIFIED THE DIRECTOR OF MAINT ABOUT THE INCIDENT. HE TOLD ME THAT THE DAMAGE IS NOT REPAIRABLE. HAD I KNOWN THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE ON THE SITE, I WOULD HAVE NOT CONTINUED THE FLT. IT IS MY ASSUMPTION THAT SEVERAL TAXI LIGHTS WERE NOT OPERATIVE AND THAT I MUST HAVE HIT ONE OF THEM.

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.