Narrative:

After landing on runway 01L at iad; the aircraft was cleared to the ramp via taxiway; 'Y; Y1 to the ramp; monitor ground control on 132.45.' after making a turn on taxiway Y1 and right turn on taxiway Z to join taxiway Z2 to the ramp; the aircraft struck a taxiway light at the far southwest corner of the ramp. Two taxiway lights are above ground; all the others are recessed into the ramp area. The yellow taxiway centerline was visible to a point halfway between taxiway Z and the ramp area. After inspecting the area; it was noted that the yellow taxiway line to proceed to the ramp; and left or right of a 'marked off' area were missing. The yellow taxiway line was visible on the ramp area. There was approximately 100 ft between the last yellow line on taxiway Z2 and the ramp area. The ramp was damp and poorly lit and no other visual cues were available. The aircraft was marshaled to its parking space and shut down and secured. A visual inspection revealed damage to the right propeller. Corrective action should be to paint yellow taxiway ctrlines to connect from taxiway Z2 to the ramp and taxiway Z2 to the private taxiway off to the right.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that he was taxiing into the ramp where lighting conditions are poor. The ramp is located to the northeast of 'Z2' taxiway. The taxiway light that was struck is located at the intersection of taxiway 'Z2' and the service ramp. A marshaler with lighted wands was assisting; but was some distance away; and misjudged the proximity to the raised taxiway light. There is no taxiway line between the midpoint of 'Z2' taxiway and the ramp to the northeast or the taxiway going south. The reporter stated that this area is not airport property; but privately owned. He was informed after the incident that another aircraft had recently had a similar experience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT WAS BEING MARSHALED INTO SERVICE AREA AND STRUCK A TXWY LIGHT.

Narrative: AFTER LANDING ON RWY 01L AT IAD; THE ACFT WAS CLRED TO THE RAMP VIA TXWY; 'Y; Y1 TO THE RAMP; MONITOR GND CTL ON 132.45.' AFTER MAKING A TURN ON TXWY Y1 AND RIGHT TURN ON TXWY Z TO JOIN TXWY Z2 TO THE RAMP; THE ACFT STRUCK A TXWY LIGHT AT THE FAR SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE RAMP. TWO TXWY LIGHTS ARE ABOVE GND; ALL THE OTHERS ARE RECESSED INTO THE RAMP AREA. THE YELLOW TXWY CTRLINE WAS VISIBLE TO A POINT HALFWAY BETWEEN TXWY Z AND THE RAMP AREA. AFTER INSPECTING THE AREA; IT WAS NOTED THAT THE YELLOW TXWY LINE TO PROCEED TO THE RAMP; AND LEFT OR RIGHT OF A 'MARKED OFF' AREA WERE MISSING. THE YELLOW TXWY LINE WAS VISIBLE ON THE RAMP AREA. THERE WAS APPROX 100 FT BETWEEN THE LAST YELLOW LINE ON TXWY Z2 AND THE RAMP AREA. THE RAMP WAS DAMP AND POORLY LIT AND NO OTHER VISUAL CUES WERE AVAILABLE. THE ACFT WAS MARSHALED TO ITS PARKING SPACE AND SHUT DOWN AND SECURED. A VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT PROPELLER. CORRECTIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TO PAINT YELLOW TXWY CTRLINES TO CONNECT FROM TXWY Z2 TO THE RAMP AND TXWY Z2 TO THE PRIVATE TXWY OFF TO THE RIGHT.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT HE WAS TAXIING INTO THE RAMP WHERE LIGHTING CONDITIONS ARE POOR. THE RAMP IS LOCATED TO THE NORTHEAST OF 'Z2' TXWY. THE TXWY LIGHT THAT WAS STRUCK IS LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF TXWY 'Z2' AND THE SERVICE RAMP. A MARSHALER WITH LIGHTED WANDS WAS ASSISTING; BUT WAS SOME DISTANCE AWAY; AND MISJUDGED THE PROXIMITY TO THE RAISED TXWY LIGHT. THERE IS NO TXWY LINE BETWEEN THE MIDPOINT OF 'Z2' TXWY AND THE RAMP TO THE NORTHEAST OR THE TXWY GOING SOUTH. THE REPORTER STATED THAT THIS AREA IS NOT AIRPORT PROPERTY; BUT PRIVATELY OWNED. HE WAS INFORMED AFTER THE INCIDENT THAT ANOTHER ACFT HAD RECENTLY HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.