Narrative:

I landed at bdr (bridgeport) for fuel; while en route home following a pleasure flight at bid (block island). It was a crystal clear day; and I was flying west; into the sun; and was wearing sunglasses. I was cleared to land on runway 29 (into the sun) and made the first left turnoff after the intersection with runway 6/24. I taxied toward what looked like a taxiway; and actually was a taxiway at one time; but is now a service road. My direction of taxi was toward the sun; and I recall the area and the surface of the signs facing me to be in deep shadow. I do not recall any pavement markings warning that the road was closed to aircraft; and as I entered the roadway I noted 2 'do not enter' signs; identical to those used as motor vehicle warning signs. I immediately stopped; and made a tight 180 degree turn at which point my propeller struck a blue taxi light that I had not seen as I entered the restr area. I noted broken shards of blue glass flying by; but felt no vibration in the aircraft. I continued taxiing to where I had the lineman contact operations so that I could report the occurrence. I did so; and left the plane on the ramp for whatever repairs might be required. A small notch was carved out of the tip on 1 propeller blade. Upon reflection; I felt that the chain of events that led to my mishap were my lack of familiarity with the airport (bdr); the bright sunny day with me heading into the sun while wearing sunglasses which made it difficult to define details in the shady area toward which I was taxiing; and the lack of pavement markings warning of the restr area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT HAS A RWY EXCURSION AND CONTACTS A TXWY LIGHT.

Narrative: I LANDED AT BDR (BRIDGEPORT) FOR FUEL; WHILE ENRTE HOME FOLLOWING A PLEASURE FLT AT BID (BLOCK ISLAND). IT WAS A CRYSTAL CLR DAY; AND I WAS FLYING W; INTO THE SUN; AND WAS WEARING SUNGLASSES. I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 29 (INTO THE SUN) AND MADE THE FIRST L TURNOFF AFTER THE INTXN WITH RWY 6/24. I TAXIED TOWARD WHAT LOOKED LIKE A TXWY; AND ACTUALLY WAS A TXWY AT ONE TIME; BUT IS NOW A SVC ROAD. MY DIRECTION OF TAXI WAS TOWARD THE SUN; AND I RECALL THE AREA AND THE SURFACE OF THE SIGNS FACING ME TO BE IN DEEP SHADOW. I DO NOT RECALL ANY PAVEMENT MARKINGS WARNING THAT THE ROAD WAS CLOSED TO ACFT; AND AS I ENTERED THE ROADWAY I NOTED 2 'DO NOT ENTER' SIGNS; IDENTICAL TO THOSE USED AS MOTOR VEHICLE WARNING SIGNS. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED; AND MADE A TIGHT 180 DEG TURN AT WHICH POINT MY PROP STRUCK A BLUE TAXI LIGHT THAT I HAD NOT SEEN AS I ENTERED THE RESTR AREA. I NOTED BROKEN SHARDS OF BLUE GLASS FLYING BY; BUT FELT NO VIBRATION IN THE ACFT. I CONTINUED TAXIING TO WHERE I HAD THE LINEMAN CONTACT OPS SO THAT I COULD RPT THE OCCURRENCE. I DID SO; AND LEFT THE PLANE ON THE RAMP FOR WHATEVER REPAIRS MIGHT BE REQUIRED. A SMALL NOTCH WAS CARVED OUT OF THE TIP ON 1 PROP BLADE. UPON REFLECTION; I FELT THAT THE CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT LED TO MY MISHAP WERE MY LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT (BDR); THE BRIGHT SUNNY DAY WITH ME HEADING INTO THE SUN WHILE WEARING SUNGLASSES WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO DEFINE DETAILS IN THE SHADY AREA TOWARD WHICH I WAS TAXIING; AND THE LACK OF PAVEMENT MARKINGS WARNING OF THE RESTR AREA.

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.