Narrative:

I was returning from a local bay tour in a C172RG. Oak tower requested me to land on runway 33 and back taxi to taxiway C. The end of the runway 33 is poorly lit, and the edge of the transition from runway 33 to taxiway C was not illuminated. After seeing a taxiway C sign, I commenced my left turn onto what I thought was taxiway C. As soon as I realized we were in the gravel, I retarded power to idle and applied brakes. Before the aircraft could come to a complete stop, the nosewheel fell in a ditch, and a propeller strike occurred. I immediately secured the engine, and had my 2 passenger evacuate/evacuation the aircraft. I saw an airport vehicle drive by and got his attention. He then informed ground, FBO (abc) and the fire department. After that, an FBO (xyz) tug towed the plane to hangar. I believe that having the transition from runway 33 to taxiway C unlit was a major contributing factor. Another factor was taxiing on an unfamiliar part of the airport. My landing light was also off during the incident because of aircraft taxiing from the end of runway 27R, down taxiway C, and I did not want to blind them with my light. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter reiterated that the transition from runway 33 to taxiway C is not lighted, ie, no edge lights or centerline lights. He recalls reflectors being present. He related there was a taxiway centerline. Because he saw a vehicle/aircraft approaching right to left, apparently on taxiway C, the reporter turned off his taxi and landing lights while continuing to taxi slowly. In doing so, he lost perspective of his position, turned left and prematurely exited the taxiway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT, DURING AFTER LNDG TAXI, MADE A PREMATURE TURN AND TAXIED OFF THE TXWY AT OAK.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING FROM A LCL BAY TOUR IN A C172RG. OAK TWR REQUESTED ME TO LAND ON RWY 33 AND BACK TAXI TO TXWY C. THE END OF THE RWY 33 IS POORLY LIT, AND THE EDGE OF THE TRANSITION FROM RWY 33 TO TXWY C WAS NOT ILLUMINATED. AFTER SEEING A TXWY C SIGN, I COMMENCED MY L TURN ONTO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TXWY C. AS SOON AS I REALIZED WE WERE IN THE GRAVEL, I RETARDED PWR TO IDLE AND APPLIED BRAKES. BEFORE THE ACFT COULD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE NOSEWHEEL FELL IN A DITCH, AND A PROP STRIKE OCCURRED. I IMMEDIATELY SECURED THE ENG, AND HAD MY 2 PAX EVAC THE ACFT. I SAW AN ARPT VEHICLE DRIVE BY AND GOT HIS ATTN. HE THEN INFORMED GND, FBO (ABC) AND THE FIRE DEPT. AFTER THAT, AN FBO (XYZ) TUG TOWED THE PLANE TO HANGAR. I BELIEVE THAT HAVING THE TRANSITION FROM RWY 33 TO TXWY C UNLIT WAS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS TAXIING ON AN UNFAMILIAR PART OF THE ARPT. MY LNDG LIGHT WAS ALSO OFF DURING THE INCIDENT BECAUSE OF ACFT TAXIING FROM THE END OF RWY 27R, DOWN TXWY C, AND I DID NOT WANT TO BLIND THEM WITH MY LIGHT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR REITERATED THAT THE TRANSITION FROM RWY 33 TO TXWY C IS NOT LIGHTED, IE, NO EDGE LIGHTS OR CTRLINE LIGHTS. HE RECALLS REFLECTORS BEING PRESENT. HE RELATED THERE WAS A TXWY CTRLINE. BECAUSE HE SAW A VEHICLE/ACFT APCHING R TO L, APPARENTLY ON TXWY C, THE RPTR TURNED OFF HIS TAXI AND LNDG LIGHTS WHILE CONTINUING TO TAXI SLOWLY. IN DOING SO, HE LOST PERSPECTIVE OF HIS POS, TURNED L AND PREMATURELY EXITED THE TXWY.

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.