PA24 pilot taxied into a parked aircraft. It was a dark night and 1 taxi light was inoperative.

Attributes
ACN	544996
Time
Date	200204
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pcm.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ags.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-24 Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 180 Skywagon
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 13.6 flight time total : 514 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	544996
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I walked to my aircraft and removed the tie-downs at around XA10. I did a walkaround and a visual check. I started the aircraft and warmed the engine. At around XA10, I commenced a taxi operation on the grass tie-down area towards the taxiway. It was extremely dark and I found only my starboard taxi light was operating. I was taxiing at low speed on wet grass and I struck a C170 in the nose area while taxiing towards the taxiway. It was very dark, and I did not see the C170 on the field earlier.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA24 PLT TAXIED INTO A PARKED ACFT. IT WAS A DARK NIGHT AND 1 TAXI LIGHT WAS INOP.

Narrative: I WALKED TO MY ACFT AND REMOVED THE TIE-DOWNS AT AROUND XA10. I DID A WALKAROUND AND A VISUAL CHK. I STARTED THE ACFT AND WARMED THE ENG. AT AROUND XA10, I COMMENCED A TAXI OP ON THE GRASS TIE-DOWN AREA TOWARDS THE TXWY. IT WAS EXTREMELY DARK AND I FOUND ONLY MY STARBOARD TAXI LIGHT WAS OPERATING. I WAS TAXIING AT LOW SPD ON WET GRASS AND I STRUCK A C170 IN THE NOSE AREA WHILE TAXIING TOWARDS THE TXWY. IT WAS VERY DARK, AND I DID NOT SEE THE C170 ON THE FIELD EARLIER.

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.