<< >> NASA ASRS Report 419716, November 1998

Pilot of a pitts S2B inadvertently struck a lighted taxiway sign with the aircraft's lower wingtip during exiting the runway after landing. There was minor damage to the aircraft's wingtip and damage to the sign. In addition, as noted by the reporter, he flew the aircraft to his home base without benefit of an appropriate rated mechanic's signoff for further flight.

Attributes
ACN	419716
Time
Date	199811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fok airport : fok
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	S-2 All Series
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 925 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	419716
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I made a normal landing on runway 1 and slowed to taxi speed. Preparing to exit runway 1 at taxiway C, I began a left turn. The lower left wing struck the lighted taxiway sign near the wingtip. The sign broke away and passed under the wing. After clearing the runway, I informed ground control. I inspected the airplane and decided that the damage would allow the airplane to fly normally. I flew the airplane back to hwv, its home base, about 10 mi away. After thinking over the events, I believe it would have been wiser to have had a qualified mechanic inspect the airplane before returning to hwv. A contributing factor is that the sign is black, and is placed on black pavement near the runway edge. The sign is difficult to see with the reduced visibility in the pitts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PITTS S2B INADVERTENTLY STRUCK A LIGHTED TXWY SIGN WITH THE ACFT'S LOWER WINGTIP DURING EXITING THE RWY AFTER LNDG. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT'S WINGTIP AND DAMAGE TO THE SIGN. IN ADDITION, AS NOTED BY THE RPTR, HE FLEW THE ACFT TO HIS HOME BASE WITHOUT BENEFIT OF AN APPROPRIATE RATED MECH'S SIGNOFF FOR FURTHER FLT.

Narrative: I MADE A NORMAL LNDG ON RWY 1 AND SLOWED TO TAXI SPD. PREPARING TO EXIT RWY 1 AT TXWY C, I BEGAN A L TURN. THE LOWER L WING STRUCK THE LIGHTED TXWY SIGN NEAR THE WINGTIP. THE SIGN BROKE AWAY AND PASSED UNDER THE WING. AFTER CLRING THE RWY, I INFORMED GND CTL. I INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE AND DECIDED THAT THE DAMAGE WOULD ALLOW THE AIRPLANE TO FLY NORMALLY. I FLEW THE AIRPLANE BACK TO HWV, ITS HOME BASE, ABOUT 10 MI AWAY. AFTER THINKING OVER THE EVENTS, I BELIEVE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WISER TO HAVE HAD A QUALIFIED MECH INSPECT THE AIRPLANE BEFORE RETURNING TO HWV. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THAT THE SIGN IS BLACK, AND IS PLACED ON BLACK PAVEMENT NEAR THE RWY EDGE. THE SIGN IS DIFFICULT TO SEE WITH THE REDUCED VISIBILITY IN THE PITTS.

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.