A BE95 pilot mistakes blue taxiway light for taxiway centerline light resulting in a propeller strik...

Attributes
ACN	601228
Time
Date	200311
Day	Thu
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 : instructional
Make Model Name	Travelair 95
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 188.1 flight time total : 1387.3 flight time type : 66
ASRS Report	601228
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After landing at las on nov/thu/03 on runway 1L, we cleared at taxiway south, switched to ground control, and stated we were unfamiliar with the airport and would like a progressive taxi to executive terminal. Ground cleared us to executive via taxiway south to taxiway H and to executive terminal. We proceeded wbound on taxiway south looking for taxiway H. When I saw the taxiway H sign, I asked ground if this was the taxiway. He said 'no, go around one more taxiway.' I taxied ahead and then the controller said 'turn right there.' I turned right and saw a yellow line that went to the right. I started to follow the yellow line and noticed the blue lights and pavement on both sides. (Note: all other txwys are center lit.) as we approached the lights, we heard a noise and immediately turned left (thinking we may have hit a taxi light). After parking and shutting down, we inspected the airplane to find the right propeller had hit a taxi light. After talking to a mechanic, we found out this happens way too often. I know taxi end lights are blue, but I wasn't thinking that when we were told to turn and there was pavement on both sides of the lights and all other taxi lights are centered.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE95 PLT MISTAKES BLUE TXWY LIGHT FOR TXWY CTRLINE LIGHT RESULTING IN A PROP STRIKE WITH THE LIGHT.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AT LAS ON NOV/THU/03 ON RWY 1L, WE CLRED AT TXWY S, SWITCHED TO GND CTL, AND STATED WE WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AND WOULD LIKE A PROGRESSIVE TAXI TO EXECUTIVE TERMINAL. GND CLRED US TO EXECUTIVE VIA TXWY S TO TXWY H AND TO EXECUTIVE TERMINAL. WE PROCEEDED WBOUND ON TXWY S LOOKING FOR TXWY H. WHEN I SAW THE TXWY H SIGN, I ASKED GND IF THIS WAS THE TXWY. HE SAID 'NO, GO AROUND ONE MORE TXWY.' I TAXIED AHEAD AND THEN THE CTLR SAID 'TURN R THERE.' I TURNED R AND SAW A YELLOW LINE THAT WENT TO THE R. I STARTED TO FOLLOW THE YELLOW LINE AND NOTICED THE BLUE LIGHTS AND PAVEMENT ON BOTH SIDES. (NOTE: ALL OTHER TXWYS ARE CTR LIT.) AS WE APCHED THE LIGHTS, WE HEARD A NOISE AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED L (THINKING WE MAY HAVE HIT A TAXI LIGHT). AFTER PARKING AND SHUTTING DOWN, WE INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE TO FIND THE R PROP HAD HIT A TAXI LIGHT. AFTER TALKING TO A MECH, WE FOUND OUT THIS HAPPENS WAY TOO OFTEN. I KNOW TAXI END LIGHTS ARE BLUE, BUT I WASN'T THINKING THAT WHEN WE WERE TOLD TO TURN AND THERE WAS PAVEMENT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE LIGHTS AND ALL OTHER TAXI LIGHTS ARE CTRED.

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.

A BE95 pilot mistakes blue taxiway light for taxiway centerline light resulting in a propeller strike with the light.