C152 pilot misses turnoff at night and taxies back on active runway.

Attributes
ACN	450253
Time
Date	199909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hpn.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 29 flight time total : 7351 flight time type : 4505
ASRS Report	450253
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

There was lots of traffic. Tower requested a turnoff at the first taxiway after landing. I missed the first taxiway and was cleared to a nearby second taxiway. The low view from my small airplane made it difficult to find the taxiway entrance among the 'sea' of blue lights. I turned to what I thought was the entrance. It wasn't. I thought I had just missed it and turned back to find it. I ended up taxiing a very short distance back to the first taxiway and exited there. There was enough space for the following landing traffic. No matter how familiar you may be with the airport, realize that things are different at night. Review the airport diagram and position of the direction signs before the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 PLT MISSES TURNOFF AT NIGHT AND TAXIES BACK ON ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: THERE WAS LOTS OF TFC. TWR REQUESTED A TURNOFF AT THE FIRST TXWY AFTER LNDG. I MISSED THE FIRST TXWY AND WAS CLRED TO A NEARBY SECOND TXWY. THE LOW VIEW FROM MY SMALL AIRPLANE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO FIND THE TXWY ENTRANCE AMONG THE 'SEA' OF BLUE LIGHTS. I TURNED TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE ENTRANCE. IT WASN'T. I THOUGHT I HAD JUST MISSED IT AND TURNED BACK TO FIND IT. I ENDED UP TAXIING A VERY SHORT DISTANCE BACK TO THE FIRST TXWY AND EXITED THERE. THERE WAS ENOUGH SPACE FOR THE FOLLOWING LNDG TFC. NO MATTER HOW FAMILIAR YOU MAY BE WITH THE ARPT, REALIZE THAT THINGS ARE DIFFERENT AT NIGHT. REVIEW THE ARPT DIAGRAM AND POS OF THE DIRECTION SIGNS BEFORE THE FLT.

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.