Crossing a runway at an uncontrolled airport while not using his radio a pilot notices a helicopter abandon an approach to the runway. The crossing is continued, but the distraction of watching the helicopter results in a taxiway excursion and minor damage to the aircraft from striking a taxiway light.

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Attributes
ACN	509557
Time
Date	200104
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mgj.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	509557
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	excursion : taxiway incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1250 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

As I approached point a I saw a helicopter on short final aborting the approach by turning left. As I continue to taxi across runway 26 I kept looking to the right to verify no conflict with the helicopter, but I neglected to watch the path of my plane and hit 2 taxi lights. Damage to my plane: two small dents in the leading edge of the left wing. After I parked the plane ahd the fuel pump the helicopter landed, it's occupant came over to me to look at my plane. Later one person presented his FAA credential and proceeded with a ramp check. No discrepancies in my paper work found. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: callback revealed that the reporter spends several days per week at this airport and is quite familiar with it. The runway he was crossing is not normally active. He chose not to use his radio, because he expected no traffic in this area of the airport. He was just going for fuel at the fueling station just across the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: XING A RWY AT AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT WHILE NOT USING HIS RADIO A PLT NOTICES A HELI ABANDON AN APCH TO THE RWY. THE XING IS CONTINUED, BUT THE DISTRACTION OF WATCHING THE HELI RESULTS IN A TXWY EXCURSION AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT FROM STRIKING A TXWY LIGHT.

Narrative: AS I APCHED POINT A I SAW A HELI ON SHORT FINAL ABORTING THE APCH BY TURNING L. AS I CONTINUE TO TAXI ACROSS RWY 26 I KEPT LOOKING TO THE R TO VERIFY NO CONFLICT WITH THE HELI, BUT I NEGLECTED TO WATCH THE PATH OF MY PLANE AND HIT 2 TAXI LIGHTS. DAMAGE TO MY PLANE: TWO SMALL DENTS IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE L WING. AFTER I PARKED THE PLANE AHD THE FUEL PUMP THE HELI LANDED, IT'S OCCUPANT CAME OVER TO ME TO LOOK AT MY PLANE. LATER ONE PERSON PRESENTED HIS FAA CREDENTIAL AND PROCEEDED WITH A RAMP CHECK. NO DISCREPANCIES IN MY PAPER WORK FOUND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CALLBACK REVEALED THAT THE RPTR SPENDS SEVERAL DAYS PER WEEK AT THIS ARPT AND IS QUITE FAMILIAR WITH IT. THE RWY HE WAS CROSSING IS NOT NORMALLY ACTIVE. HE CHOSE NOT TO USE HIS RADIO, BECAUSE HE EXPECTED NO TFC IN THIS AREA OF THE ARPT. HE WAS JUST GOING FOR FUEL AT THE FUELING STATION JUST ACROSS THE RWY.

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.