This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
I was taxiing in an extremely dark, remote location at an uncontrolled airport I was unfamiliar with. Lighting was nonexistent in the ramp area.
I pulled up to the runway hold short line and activated the runway lighting system. I was diligent about checking the markings and my surroundings.
After making my call on UNICOM, I started to taxi on to the runway. The blue taxi lights don’t go all the way to the runway, and I’m fairly certain the runway light at that corner was burnt out.
Because that light wasn’t visible, I turned on the runway too early (essentially cutting the corner), and my prop struck the burnt-out runway light.
The runway light was damaged and the prop sustained damage as well. The runway light will need to be replaced, and the prop may be able to be repaired.
The engine ran fine after the strike and I was able to taxi.
The reason this incident occurred is because of a burnt-out runway light and the fact I’m a new pilot at an unfamiliar airport in very dark conditions. I should have continued straight onto the runway instead of “cutting the corner,” but the vast majority of my experience thus far has been on much larger (wider) runways, so I’m used to making an arcing turn as I turn on the runway.
I know now in limited-sight conditions to go straight out to the runway and not make a 90° turn until I’m clearly in the center of the runway.
Primary Problem: Airport
ACN: 2114131
Thank you for your honest report. We all have been in situations where we “don’t know what we don’t know.” I will give the pilot the benefit of the doubt and assume the taxi/landing lights were on. I often fly out of a rural VERY dark airport. Lights sometimes do not work. Taxi lines are faded. Unfortunately the engine does require a teardown for inspection.
Why are the aircraft lights not turned on? Or are lights an optional extra at night these days—they weren’t when I got my licence? It seems like a pathetic excuse for carelessness.
The taxi light beam is typically only 20 degrees wide. So, at 50 ft distance, the beam only shows 9 ft off center. It’s not like the 2 the ‘low beam’ lights on a car that lights the entire 40-50 ft wide road , out 100-200 ft.
It is usually aimed at the center, yellow taxi line.
Another carry over from the 1950s.
Maybe we should have 2 to 4 taxi lights to illuminate more of the taxiway to the edges ?
But, adding more lights would require a form 337 min, possibly an STC.!
Another reason to follow the yellow ‘centerline’ markings that taxiways usually have.
I do trust that the OP had his engine torn down for a proper post prop-strike inspection and overhaul …..