Narrative:

I was the PF. There were no passenger. We turned off runway 1 to taxiway C and proceeded to the ramp area. This involved a turn of approximately 70 degrees onto taxiway a. It was at this point the aircraft left the taxiway and the right propeller struck a taxiway light (it was a right turn). How I left the taxiway remains a mystery to me. The taxiway was bare and dry, the centerline clearly visible. I have negotiated this same turn, literally hundreds of times in the past, some in nights, snow, and ice conditions. Although there was snow accumulated a few inches at the taxiway edges I do not believe this to be a factor. When we hit the light we both looked at each other and said, 'what was that?' I really thought we had just ran over an ice rut or small berm at the taxiway edge, and was quite surprised to learn I had taken out a taxiway light (my first). As per our checklist, after we cleared the runway, I called '(propellers to) taxi,' which is the signal to each crew member to start his 'flow.' mine was shutting off the autofeather, autoigniter, and anti-ice switches, the first officer's was retarding the propeller control levers to their taxi detent, retracting flaps, and setting the transponder to standby. I can only assume that I was enveloped in a moment's inattn, just long enough to cut the corner to get the intersection. It happened just that quick. I really can't recall being off the taxiway as we made the turn. My attention was diverted inside the cockpit. I did not pay attention to the turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT STRUCK TXWY LIGHT DURING TAXI RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO A PROP.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF. THERE WERE NO PAX. WE TURNED OFF RWY 1 TO TXWY C AND PROCEEDED TO THE RAMP AREA. THIS INVOLVED A TURN OF APPROX 70 DEGS ONTO TXWY A. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THE ACFT LEFT THE TXWY AND THE R PROP STRUCK A TXWY LIGHT (IT WAS A R TURN). HOW I LEFT THE TXWY REMAINS A MYSTERY TO ME. THE TXWY WAS BARE AND DRY, THE CTRLINE CLRLY VISIBLE. I HAVE NEGOTIATED THIS SAME TURN, LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF TIMES IN THE PAST, SOME IN NIGHTS, SNOW, AND ICE CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS SNOW ACCUMULATED A FEW INCHES AT THE TXWY EDGES I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE A FACTOR. WHEN WE HIT THE LIGHT WE BOTH LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND SAID, 'WHAT WAS THAT?' I REALLY THOUGHT WE HAD JUST RAN OVER AN ICE RUT OR SMALL BERM AT THE TXWY EDGE, AND WAS QUITE SURPRISED TO LEARN I HAD TAKEN OUT A TXWY LIGHT (MY FIRST). AS PER OUR CHKLIST, AFTER WE CLRED THE RWY, I CALLED '(PROPS TO) TAXI,' WHICH IS THE SIGNAL TO EACH CREW MEMBER TO START HIS 'FLOW.' MINE WAS SHUTTING OFF THE AUTOFEATHER, AUTOIGNITER, AND ANTI-ICE SWITCHES, THE FO'S WAS RETARDING THE PROP CTL LEVERS TO THEIR TAXI DETENT, RETRACTING FLAPS, AND SETTING THE XPONDER TO STANDBY. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT I WAS ENVELOPED IN A MOMENT'S INATTN, JUST LONG ENOUGH TO CUT THE CORNER TO GET THE INTXN. IT HAPPENED JUST THAT QUICK. I REALLY CAN'T RECALL BEING OFF THE TXWY AS WE MADE THE TURN. MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED INSIDE THE COCKPIT. I DID NOT PAY ATTN TO THE TURN.

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.