A low time private pilot continued to taxi at night, even though the taxiway lights ended, and inadvertently struck one of the lights with the propeller.

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Attributes
ACN	451778
Time
Date	199910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 83 flight time total : 419 flight time type : 47
ASRS Report	451778
Person 2
Function	controller : ground
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After landing and clearing the active runway, I asked for a progressive taxi. Being told that parking was about 1000 ft down to the right, I followed the green lights marking the centerline of the taxiway. After the green centerline lights ended, I continued straight ahead, thinking I was still on the taxiway. After continuing for a few seconds there was a bump felt and after getting out of the plane I was told that the propeller had struck the blue taxi light. I, as the PIC, take full responsibility for my actions and any damage caused by this incident. Factors that contributed was my confusion that when the green taxiway centerline lights ended, I thought I was still on the taxiway. In the future, I will continue to pay careful attention whenever on a taxiway during day or night conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME PVT PLT CONTINUED TO TAXI AT NIGHT, EVEN THOUGH THE TXWY LIGHTS ENDED, AND INADVERTENTLY STRUCK ONE OF THE LIGHTS WITH THE PROP.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AND CLRING THE ACTIVE RWY, I ASKED FOR A PROGRESSIVE TAXI. BEING TOLD THAT PARKING WAS ABOUT 1000 FT DOWN TO THE R, I FOLLOWED THE GREEN LIGHTS MARKING THE CTRLINE OF THE TXWY. AFTER THE GREEN CTRLINE LIGHTS ENDED, I CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD, THINKING I WAS STILL ON THE TXWY. AFTER CONTINUING FOR A FEW SECONDS THERE WAS A BUMP FELT AND AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE PLANE I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROP HAD STRUCK THE BLUE TAXI LIGHT. I, AS THE PIC, TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY ACTIONS AND ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY THIS INCIDENT. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED WAS MY CONFUSION THAT WHEN THE GREEN TXWY CTRLINE LIGHTS ENDED, I THOUGHT I WAS STILL ON THE TXWY. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL CONTINUE TO PAY CAREFUL ATTN WHENEVER ON A TXWY DURING DAY OR NIGHT CONDITIONS.

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.