Hit taxi light exiting runway 29.

Attributes
ACN	197221
Time
Date	199112
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bed
State Reference	MA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ash
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 2875 flight time type : 675
ASRS Report	197221
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After landing on runway 29 at hanscom field (kbed), incident occurred turning into taxiway F. I rolled out past taxiway G, and as I turned left onto taxiway F, I apparently mistook the blue taxi lights on west end of taxiway G as the east end of taxiway F, so that centering the aircraft accordingly, I clipped the first light of the east end of taxiway F before I realized the error. Field conditions dry, dark moonless night, recent snow and sanding made runway/taxiway less distinct. Adding to the problem was the usual after landing exercise of cowl flap opening, etc, as well as ATC call advising me (in this case) to remain on tower frequency for taxiing. I presume that the fact that I have flown from kbed for 20 yrs (2000 hours) added the complacency of familiarity, so that (subconsciously) I was probably utilizing peripheral vision of taxi lights. However, one external correctable factor also exists. The lead-in yellow stripes are dull paint. Why not use the reflective type paint (multiple embedded glass particles) for this situation? Especially on a sanded runway in winter, dull yellow paint can be quite indistinct.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HIT TAXI LIGHT EXITING RWY 29.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 29 AT HANSCOM FIELD (KBED), INCIDENT OCCURRED TURNING INTO TAXIWAY F. I ROLLED OUT PAST TAXIWAY G, AND AS I TURNED L ONTO TAXIWAY F, I APPARENTLY MISTOOK THE BLUE TAXI LIGHTS ON W END OF TAXIWAY G AS THE E END OF TAXIWAY F, SO THAT CENTERING THE ACFT ACCORDINGLY, I CLIPPED THE FIRST LIGHT OF THE E END OF TAXIWAY F BEFORE I REALIZED THE ERROR. FIELD CONDITIONS DRY, DARK MOONLESS NIGHT, RECENT SNOW AND SANDING MADE RWY/TAXIWAY LESS DISTINCT. ADDING TO THE PROBLEM WAS THE USUAL AFTER LNDG EXERCISE OF COWL FLAP OPENING, ETC, AS WELL AS ATC CALL ADVISING ME (IN THIS CASE) TO REMAIN ON TWR FREQ FOR TAXIING. I PRESUME THAT THE FACT THAT I HAVE FLOWN FROM KBED FOR 20 YRS (2000 HRS) ADDED THE COMPLACENCY OF FAMILIARITY, SO THAT (SUBCONSCIOUSLY) I WAS PROBABLY UTILIZING PERIPHERAL VISION OF TAXI LIGHTS. HOWEVER, ONE EXTERNAL CORRECTABLE FACTOR ALSO EXISTS. THE LEAD-IN YELLOW STRIPES ARE DULL PAINT. WHY NOT USE THE REFLECTIVE TYPE PAINT (MULTIPLE EMBEDDED GLASS PARTICLES) FOR THIS SITUATION? ESPECIALLY ON A SANDED RWY IN WINTER, DULL YELLOW PAINT CAN BE QUITE INDISTINCT.

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.