Narrative:

I was taxiing through an awkward asphalt area with poles on either side of the aircraft. We had just visited the maule factory at spence field (mul) and taxiing for return to runway 32. I turned my head to the left when I saw a fuel sign. The aircraft turned and collided with a pole. We got out and looked at the damaged wing and then taxied to fuel. I examined control surfaces and damage; then did the run-up. We flew back to cae to return the aircraft. I failed to realize the damage to the aircraft might have hindered the safety of the flight. We did proceed safely and land safely; but I should not have flown the plane back. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the only way to taxi on the airport is on the runway. However; the txwys; all in very poor condition; are not marked as non movement areas with X's or signs. After landing; the reporter mistakenly exited the runway at the southwest end on a taxiway to a storage area and was attempting to get to the aircraft factory at the northwest end of the airport. After realizing the location position error; she attempted to go via the most direct route which was on an apparently open ramp. In fact; that area was not suitable for taxi and she should have used the runway which was very busy with military aircraft. The area into which the reporter taxied is an old ramp with an open area of about 30 ft between 2 rows of poles. There was fuel company logo sign on the aircraft's left and when she looked at the sign for fuel availability; she also turned the aircraft left and struck the pole. Upon return to the aircraft rental base; the FAA FSDO inspected the aircraft and informed her there would be an investigation. She has heard nothing since.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT AT MUL STRUCK A POLE WITH A WING AND CONTINUED A FLT. ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSPECTED PRIOR TO FLT.

Narrative: I WAS TAXIING THROUGH AN AWKWARD ASPHALT AREA WITH POLES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ACFT. WE HAD JUST VISITED THE MAULE FACTORY AT SPENCE FIELD (MUL) AND TAXIING FOR RETURN TO RWY 32. I TURNED MY HEAD TO THE L WHEN I SAW A FUEL SIGN. THE ACFT TURNED AND COLLIDED WITH A POLE. WE GOT OUT AND LOOKED AT THE DAMAGED WING AND THEN TAXIED TO FUEL. I EXAMINED CTL SURFACES AND DAMAGE; THEN DID THE RUN-UP. WE FLEW BACK TO CAE TO RETURN THE ACFT. I FAILED TO REALIZE THE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT MIGHT HAVE HINDERED THE SAFETY OF THE FLT. WE DID PROCEED SAFELY AND LAND SAFELY; BUT I SHOULD NOT HAVE FLOWN THE PLANE BACK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO TAXI ON THE ARPT IS ON THE RWY. HOWEVER; THE TXWYS; ALL IN VERY POOR CONDITION; ARE NOT MARKED AS NON MOVEMENT AREAS WITH X'S OR SIGNS. AFTER LNDG; THE RPTR MISTAKENLY EXITED THE RWY AT THE SW END ON A TXWY TO A STORAGE AREA AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET TO THE ACFT FACTORY AT THE NW END OF THE ARPT. AFTER REALIZING THE LOCATION POS ERROR; SHE ATTEMPTED TO GO VIA THE MOST DIRECT RTE WHICH WAS ON AN APPARENTLY OPEN RAMP. IN FACT; THAT AREA WAS NOT SUITABLE FOR TAXI AND SHE SHOULD HAVE USED THE RWY WHICH WAS VERY BUSY WITH MIL ACFT. THE AREA INTO WHICH THE RPTR TAXIED IS AN OLD RAMP WITH AN OPEN AREA OF ABOUT 30 FT BTWN 2 ROWS OF POLES. THERE WAS FUEL COMPANY LOGO SIGN ON THE ACFT'S L AND WHEN SHE LOOKED AT THE SIGN FOR FUEL AVAILABILITY; SHE ALSO TURNED THE ACFT L AND STRUCK THE POLE. UPON RETURN TO THE ACFT RENTAL BASE; THE FAA FSDO INSPECTED THE ACFT AND INFORMED HER THERE WOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION. SHE HAS HEARD NOTHING SINCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.