Pilot of C172; disoriented by snow covered surface taxies off taxiway and strikes airport sign.

Attributes
ACN	765366
Time
Date	200712
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : osh.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 56 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 349
ASRS Report	765366
Events
Anomaly	excursion : taxiway ground encounters other other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Airport
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

Was taxiing the plane wbound on taxiway F over patchy snow and ice when realized yellow line was not very visible and lane had narrowed. Realized very quickly afterwards that I was no longer on a taxiway when heard a strange noise. Thought I hit a patch of ice; and plane turned sideways. Realized right wing of plane struck back side (non-reflective side) of elevated sign regarding motorized traffic; etc; turning the plane partially sideways. Contacted ground regarding location of FBO; as had taxied past it. 2 men came out of an airport building and plane was shut down and they helped turn plane; so it could taxi in correct direction. Started plane up again and taxied to FBO. Tower instructed pilot to contact by phone. Tower inquired as to status of pilot/plane. No incident form/report requested. Plane sustained minor dent to front; outermost end of right wing. Plane was secured for the evening and will be taken care of by maintenance the following day. Pilot could have asked for more progressives; especially before realizing the taxiway had become a service road; especially at night. Pilot could have paid more attention to sign; realizing that they are typically not placed where planes would taxi. NOTAMS and recent WX conditions indicated patchy taxiway conditions -- pilot should have taken more under consideration.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C172; DISORIENTED BY SNOW COVERED SURFACE TAXIES OFF TXWY AND STRIKES ARPT SIGN.

Narrative: WAS TAXIING THE PLANE WBOUND ON TXWY F OVER PATCHY SNOW AND ICE WHEN REALIZED YELLOW LINE WAS NOT VERY VISIBLE AND LANE HAD NARROWED. REALIZED VERY QUICKLY AFTERWARDS THAT I WAS NO LONGER ON A TXWY WHEN HEARD A STRANGE NOISE. THOUGHT I HIT A PATCH OF ICE; AND PLANE TURNED SIDEWAYS. REALIZED R WING OF PLANE STRUCK BACK SIDE (NON-REFLECTIVE SIDE) OF ELEVATED SIGN REGARDING MOTORIZED TFC; ETC; TURNING THE PLANE PARTIALLY SIDEWAYS. CONTACTED GND REGARDING LOCATION OF FBO; AS HAD TAXIED PAST IT. 2 MEN CAME OUT OF AN ARPT BUILDING AND PLANE WAS SHUT DOWN AND THEY HELPED TURN PLANE; SO IT COULD TAXI IN CORRECT DIRECTION. STARTED PLANE UP AGAIN AND TAXIED TO FBO. TWR INSTRUCTED PLT TO CONTACT BY PHONE. TWR INQUIRED AS TO STATUS OF PLT/PLANE. NO INCIDENT FORM/RPT REQUESTED. PLANE SUSTAINED MINOR DENT TO FRONT; OUTERMOST END OF R WING. PLANE WAS SECURED FOR THE EVENING AND WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF BY MAINT THE FOLLOWING DAY. PLT COULD HAVE ASKED FOR MORE PROGRESSIVES; ESPECIALLY BEFORE REALIZING THE TXWY HAD BECOME A SVC ROAD; ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. PLT COULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTN TO SIGN; REALIZING THAT THEY ARE TYPICALLY NOT PLACED WHERE PLANES WOULD TAXI. NOTAMS AND RECENT WX CONDITIONS INDICATED PATCHY TXWY CONDITIONS -- PLT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE UNDER CONSIDERATION.

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.