One aircraft taxies into the tail of another stopped on a taxiway during night operations.

Attributes
ACN	482381
Time
Date	200008
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lbf.airport
State Reference	NE
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Caravan 1 208A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 184 flight time total : 3232 flight time type : 226
ASRS Report	482381
Person 2
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical incursion : taxiway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

As I taxied from the ramp at lbf towards runway 12, I taxied into the tail of a C172. It was dark at the airport, the time was XA50 hours. I did have the navigation lights -- red flashing beacon, and taxi lights turned on. The C172 was parked on the taxiway going towards runway 12. There was a student pilot in the left seat of the C172 and an instructor pilot in the right seat. I did not see any lights on the C172. When I did see the C172 I was too close to stop. I was taxiing slow with the power lever at idle. I do not know if the people in the C172 were monitoring the local frequency 123.0, my transmitter was on 123.0 and I did transmit on 123.0 my intentions to taxi to runway 12. The people in the C172 said they had turned off the taxi and landing lights. Did they turn off more lights by mistake? People should always keep all lights turned on at night. I saw no lights on the C172. A person on the ramp watched me taxi out, and said he could not see the C172. No one hurt, aircraft damage was only the propeller on the C208, and only the tail surfaces on the C172.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ONE ACFT TAXIES INTO THE TAIL OF ANOTHER STOPPED ON A TXWY DURING NIGHT OPS.

Narrative: AS I TAXIED FROM THE RAMP AT LBF TOWARDS RWY 12, I TAXIED INTO THE TAIL OF A C172. IT WAS DARK AT THE ARPT, THE TIME WAS XA50 HRS. I DID HAVE THE NAV LIGHTS -- RED FLASHING BEACON, AND TAXI LIGHTS TURNED ON. THE C172 WAS PARKED ON THE TXWY GOING TOWARDS RWY 12. THERE WAS A STUDENT PLT IN THE L SEAT OF THE C172 AND AN INSTRUCTOR PLT IN THE R SEAT. I DID NOT SEE ANY LIGHTS ON THE C172. WHEN I DID SEE THE C172 I WAS TOO CLOSE TO STOP. I WAS TAXIING SLOW WITH THE PWR LEVER AT IDLE. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE PEOPLE IN THE C172 WERE MONITORING THE LCL FREQ 123.0, MY XMITTER WAS ON 123.0 AND I DID XMIT ON 123.0 MY INTENTIONS TO TAXI TO RWY 12. THE PEOPLE IN THE C172 SAID THEY HAD TURNED OFF THE TAXI AND LNDG LIGHTS. DID THEY TURN OFF MORE LIGHTS BY MISTAKE? PEOPLE SHOULD ALWAYS KEEP ALL LIGHTS TURNED ON AT NIGHT. I SAW NO LIGHTS ON THE C172. A PERSON ON THE RAMP WATCHED ME TAXI OUT, AND SAID HE COULD NOT SEE THE C172. NO ONE HURT, ACFT DAMAGE WAS ONLY THE PROP ON THE C208, AND ONLY THE TAIL SURFACES ON THE C172.

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.