Narrative:

On the night in question, I was taxiing from FBO to southwest parking. There were no light signs directing traffic to southwest parking, only taxi lights and runway lights along with runway identifying lights. The line I was taxiing along broke into a few different directions as I approached a parking lot adjacent to the university aviation department. I continued straight along my taxi line. I eventually ended up at a dead end. I then turned around in a 180 degree turn. I headed back looking for another taxi line that would lead me to my destination. Shortly after I turned around, I encountered a taxi line running perpendicular to the taxi line I was following. I then made a 90 degree turn right. I was now established on a taxi line that was taking me in the general direction I wanted to go. Shortly after my 90 degree turn, I could see another taxi line that was going to merge with my taxi line from the left. I could also identify blue taxi lights outlining the taxiway. As I approached the other taxiway, my taxi line disappeared and my propeller struck a taxi light that was not lit. I would estimate that the distance between the taxi light and the end of the line I was following was approximately 5 to 10 ft. Contributing factors: poor lighting, inadequate taxi lines. I believe that there should exist better lighting for aircraft parking lots and taxi lights. Sjc ground crew should keep on top of lights that are not in proper working order.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PROP STRIKE ON INOP TXWY LIGHT IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: ON THE NIGHT IN QUESTION, I WAS TAXIING FROM FBO TO SW PARKING. THERE WERE NO LIGHT SIGNS DIRECTING TFC TO SW PARKING, ONLY TAXI LIGHTS AND RWY LIGHTS ALONG WITH RWY IDENTIFYING LIGHTS. THE LINE I WAS TAXIING ALONG BROKE INTO A FEW DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AS I APCHED A PARKING LOT ADJACENT TO THE UNIVERSITY AVIATION DEPT. I CONTINUED STRAIGHT ALONG MY TAXI LINE. I EVENTUALLY ENDED UP AT A DEAD END. I THEN TURNED AROUND IN A 180 DEG TURN. I HEADED BACK LOOKING FOR ANOTHER TAXI LINE THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO MY DEST. SHORTLY AFTER I TURNED AROUND, I ENCOUNTERED A TAXI LINE RUNNING PERPENDICULAR TO THE TAXI LINE I WAS FOLLOWING. I THEN MADE A 90 DEG TURN R. I WAS NOW ESTABLISHED ON A TAXI LINE THAT WAS TAKING ME IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION I WANTED TO GO. SHORTLY AFTER MY 90 DEG TURN, I COULD SEE ANOTHER TAXI LINE THAT WAS GOING TO MERGE WITH MY TAXI LINE FROM THE L. I COULD ALSO IDENTIFY BLUE TAXI LIGHTS OUTLINING THE TXWY. AS I APCHED THE OTHER TXWY, MY TAXI LINE DISAPPEARED AND MY PROP STRUCK A TAXI LIGHT THAT WAS NOT LIT. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT THE DISTANCE BTWN THE TAXI LIGHT AND THE END OF THE LINE I WAS FOLLOWING WAS APPROX 5 TO 10 FT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: POOR LIGHTING, INADEQUATE TAXI LINES. I BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD EXIST BETTER LIGHTING FOR ACFT PARKING LOTS AND TAXI LIGHTS. SJC GND CREW SHOULD KEEP ON TOP OF LIGHTS THAT ARE NOT IN PROPER WORKING ORDER.

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.