Narrative:

I filed an IFR flight plan from phoenix (phx) to douglas, az (dug) got my clearance and taxied via an escort vehicle to taxiway T then as cleared along taxiway east to runway 7L at phx. The tower had cleared me into position and hold runway 7L, but when I said I could accept intersection E2, he cleared me to hold short at intersection E2. After a very short hold (less than 10 seconds) I was cleared for takeoff. As I taxied into position the first signs I had of the centerline was (in retrospect) the right runway edge line I felt something was not right, as I aligned myself and thought that the runway lights were centerline lights. I heard a pop and came to a stop, told the tower that I had hit something on the runway. He asked if 'I knew what it was,' I said 'no, but I would like to turn around and look.' he approved, I turned around and recognized my position and saw the broken runway light. I told the tower that I had hit a runway light thinking it was a centerline light. He asked if I wanted to take off and I told him that I needed to taxi to my operations ramp. The propeller was bent on 1 blade about 3/4 inch on the tip requiring teardown and inspection of engine. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the airplane was a twin cessna 421 and incurred damage to the right propeller 1 blade with a .50 inch curl and engine teardown inspection. The reporter said he lost visual contact with the right edge of the taxiway and on turning struck the light.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 421 AT NIGHT TAXIING FOR TKOF ON TURNING ONTO RWY STRUCK A TXWY LIGHT INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE R PROP AND ENG.

Narrative: I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM PHOENIX (PHX) TO DOUGLAS, AZ (DUG) GOT MY CLRNC AND TAXIED VIA AN ESCORT VEHICLE TO TXWY T THEN AS CLRED ALONG TXWY E TO RWY 7L AT PHX. THE TWR HAD CLRED ME INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 7L, BUT WHEN I SAID I COULD ACCEPT INTXN E2, HE CLRED ME TO HOLD SHORT AT INTXN E2. AFTER A VERY SHORT HOLD (LESS THAN 10 SECONDS) I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. AS I TAXIED INTO POS THE FIRST SIGNS I HAD OF THE CTRLINE WAS (IN RETROSPECT) THE R RWY EDGE LINE I FELT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT, AS I ALIGNED MYSELF AND THOUGHT THAT THE RWY LIGHTS WERE CTRLINE LIGHTS. I HEARD A POP AND CAME TO A STOP, TOLD THE TWR THAT I HAD HIT SOMETHING ON THE RWY. HE ASKED IF 'I KNEW WHAT IT WAS,' I SAID 'NO, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TURN AROUND AND LOOK.' HE APPROVED, I TURNED AROUND AND RECOGNIZED MY POS AND SAW THE BROKEN RWY LIGHT. I TOLD THE TWR THAT I HAD HIT A RWY LIGHT THINKING IT WAS A CTRLINE LIGHT. HE ASKED IF I WANTED TO TAKE OFF AND I TOLD HIM THAT I NEEDED TO TAXI TO MY OPS RAMP. THE PROP WAS BENT ON 1 BLADE ABOUT 3/4 INCH ON THE TIP REQUIRING TEARDOWN AND INSPECTION OF ENG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS A TWIN CESSNA 421 AND INCURRED DAMAGE TO THE R PROP 1 BLADE WITH A .50 INCH CURL AND ENG TEARDOWN INSPECTION. THE RPTR SAID HE LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE R EDGE OF THE TXWY AND ON TURNING STRUCK THE LIGHT.

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.