Narrative:

I had performed 6 lndgs before my final 7TH landing. I got the clearance from tower to land on runway 17R. I flew my pattern and final as normal with no problems. After landing; I came to a complete stop and then proceeded to taxi to the nearest exit taxiway. I passed a sign that indicated alpha 2 taxiway. I followed the blue taxiway lights until I saw what I thought was a break in the taxiway lights indicating to me that the turn for the taxiway was there. After turning; I saw grass in front of me. I panned around to look for the nearest pavement; but I could not see anything. By then I started to go down in the ditch. I chose not to fight it or force the plane in a direction. Gravity took over and I rolled down into a little drainage ditch. After there; I tried to briefly move the aircraft under 'soft field' conditions. It didn't budge so I asked ground for help and they dispatched a tow truck to get my plane out. Before signing off; I got clearance from ground to shut down my airplane. I then notified my dispatch and let them know of my situation. Afterwards; I shut down my aircraft and proceeded to postflt it. Neither me nor the plane (as far as I knew after postflt and towing) sustained any damage. The plane only had some muddy tires. As far as what caused the accident; I feel strongly that it is my inexperience as a pilot. I only have 70 some hours and only a handful of them had been at night. This was my first solo at night which also contributed to the situation. As far as steps to prevent it in the future: if I were to have slowed down (my thought process not the plane) and panned the lights slowly; I would have seen that there was no taxiway and probably could have avoided going off the side.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PVT PLT ATTEMPTS TO EXIT RWY ONTO TAXIWAY AND ENDS UP IN GRASS INSTEAD.

Narrative: I HAD PERFORMED 6 LNDGS BEFORE MY FINAL 7TH LNDG. I GOT THE CLRNC FROM TWR TO LAND ON RWY 17R. I FLEW MY PATTERN AND FINAL AS NORMAL WITH NO PROBS. AFTER LNDG; I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN PROCEEDED TO TAXI TO THE NEAREST EXIT TXWY. I PASSED A SIGN THAT INDICATED ALPHA 2 TXWY. I FOLLOWED THE BLUE TXWY LIGHTS UNTIL I SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A BREAK IN THE TXWY LIGHTS INDICATING TO ME THAT THE TURN FOR THE TXWY WAS THERE. AFTER TURNING; I SAW GRASS IN FRONT OF ME. I PANNED AROUND TO LOOK FOR THE NEAREST PAVEMENT; BUT I COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING. BY THEN I STARTED TO GO DOWN IN THE DITCH. I CHOSE NOT TO FIGHT IT OR FORCE THE PLANE IN A DIRECTION. GRAVITY TOOK OVER AND I ROLLED DOWN INTO A LITTLE DRAINAGE DITCH. AFTER THERE; I TRIED TO BRIEFLY MOVE THE ACFT UNDER 'SOFT FIELD' CONDITIONS. IT DIDN'T BUDGE SO I ASKED GND FOR HELP AND THEY DISPATCHED A TOW TRUCK TO GET MY PLANE OUT. BEFORE SIGNING OFF; I GOT CLRNC FROM GND TO SHUT DOWN MY AIRPLANE. I THEN NOTIFIED MY DISPATCH AND LET THEM KNOW OF MY SITUATION. AFTERWARDS; I SHUT DOWN MY ACFT AND PROCEEDED TO POSTFLT IT. NEITHER ME NOR THE PLANE (AS FAR AS I KNEW AFTER POSTFLT AND TOWING) SUSTAINED ANY DAMAGE. THE PLANE ONLY HAD SOME MUDDY TIRES. AS FAR AS WHAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT; I FEEL STRONGLY THAT IT IS MY INEXPERIENCE AS A PLT. I ONLY HAVE 70 SOME HRS AND ONLY A HANDFUL OF THEM HAD BEEN AT NIGHT. THIS WAS MY FIRST SOLO AT NIGHT WHICH ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE SITUATION. AS FAR AS STEPS TO PREVENT IT IN THE FUTURE: IF I WERE TO HAVE SLOWED DOWN (MY THOUGHT PROCESS NOT THE PLANE) AND PANNED THE LIGHTS SLOWLY; I WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT THERE WAS NO TXWY AND PROBABLY COULD HAVE AVOIDED GOING OFF THE SIDE.

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.