Small aircraft pilot and instructor make a sudden stop on taxiway to avoid hitting an unlit helicopt...

Attributes
ACN	669486
Time
Date	200508
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : myf.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft Low Wing 1 Eng Retractable Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1763 flight time type : 685
ASRS Report	669486
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters : fod
Independent Detector	other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

We had finished my third flying lesson with my cfii; towards my annual wing's program (level 10). We just filled up the fuel pumps on ramp and were taxiing back to airplane tie-down. It was XA00; on a moonless VFR night. My strobe; navigation and taxi lights were on; and I broadcasted my taxi intentions to airport. Tower had just closed. I turned to join the taxiway from ramp area and came within 5 ft of striking an unlit; large (wooden; I believe) helicopter platform; unoccupied. My instructor called me to stop suddenly; and I hit the brakes. We shut down engine; deplaned and used our flashlights to check out what we almost ran into with our propeller. We had never seen this obstacle as we entered ramp area on painted taxi line; and thus never expected to see it when we taxied out. Platforms are all around ramp area. My guess is someone forgot to put it away! We were very lucky.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT AND INSTRUCTOR MAKE A SUDDEN STOP ON TXWY TO AVOID HITTING AN UNLIT HELI PLATFORM AT MYF.

Narrative: WE HAD FINISHED MY THIRD FLYING LESSON WITH MY CFII; TOWARDS MY ANNUAL WING'S PROGRAM (LEVEL 10). WE JUST FILLED UP THE FUEL PUMPS ON RAMP AND WERE TAXIING BACK TO AIRPLANE TIE-DOWN. IT WAS XA00; ON A MOONLESS VFR NIGHT. MY STROBE; NAV AND TAXI LIGHTS WERE ON; AND I BROADCASTED MY TAXI INTENTIONS TO ARPT. TWR HAD JUST CLOSED. I TURNED TO JOIN THE TXWY FROM RAMP AREA AND CAME WITHIN 5 FT OF STRIKING AN UNLIT; LARGE (WOODEN; I BELIEVE) HELI PLATFORM; UNOCCUPIED. MY INSTRUCTOR CALLED ME TO STOP SUDDENLY; AND I HIT THE BRAKES. WE SHUT DOWN ENG; DEPLANED AND USED OUR FLASHLIGHTS TO CHK OUT WHAT WE ALMOST RAN INTO WITH OUR PROP. WE HAD NEVER SEEN THIS OBSTACLE AS WE ENTERED RAMP AREA ON PAINTED TAXI LINE; AND THUS NEVER EXPECTED TO SEE IT WHEN WE TAXIED OUT. PLATFORMS ARE ALL AROUND RAMP AREA. MY GUESS IS SOMEONE FORGOT TO PUT IT AWAY! WE WERE VERY LUCKY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Small aircraft pilot and instructor make a sudden stop on taxiway to avoid hitting an unlit helicopter platform at myf.