While attempting to avoid parked aircraft; PA32 pilot goes off taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	801511
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 274 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	801511
Events
Anomaly	excursion : taxiway
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Situations
Airport	design : 6b6.airport runway surface condition : 6b6.airport taxiway surface condition : 6b6.airport

Narrative:

Landed safely at the airfield but noticed immediately that the runway surface was in terrible shape. I taxied to the end of the runway and discovered that the taxiway was in worse shape; ie; poor surface pavement; no signage; all paint was worn off and very narrow. Planes were parked alongside the narrow taxiway on the left so I taxied the plane on the right side of the taxiway; which left me with very limited sight of the edge of the taxiway (could only see grass). There had been heavy rains in the area for over a week so as my right wheel caught the edge of the grass; the swampy grass caught my right wheel; which swung the plane down into a small ditch causing the propeller to strike the turf. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the taxiway was very narrow and the reporter believed that he needed to taxi right of centerline to avoid hitting parked aircraft with his left wingtip. This caused his right wheel to leave the taxiway and sink into very soft earth causing damage to the propeller and engine. In hindsight; wingtip damage would have been far less expensive; but just stopping to check clearances would have been the best of all.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID PARKED ACFT; PA32 PILOT GOES OFF TXWY.

Narrative: LANDED SAFELY AT THE AIRFIELD BUT NOTICED IMMEDIATELY THAT THE RWY SURFACE WAS IN TERRIBLE SHAPE. I TAXIED TO THE END OF THE RWY AND DISCOVERED THAT THE TXWY WAS IN WORSE SHAPE; IE; POOR SURFACE PAVEMENT; NO SIGNAGE; ALL PAINT WAS WORN OFF AND VERY NARROW. PLANES WERE PARKED ALONGSIDE THE NARROW TXWY ON THE L SO I TAXIED THE PLANE ON THE R SIDE OF THE TXWY; WHICH LEFT ME WITH VERY LIMITED SIGHT OF THE EDGE OF THE TXWY (COULD ONLY SEE GRASS). THERE HAD BEEN HVY RAINS IN THE AREA FOR OVER A WK SO AS MY R WHEEL CAUGHT THE EDGE OF THE GRASS; THE SWAMPY GRASS CAUGHT MY R WHEEL; WHICH SWUNG THE PLANE DOWN INTO A SMALL DITCH CAUSING THE PROP TO STRIKE THE TURF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE TXWY WAS VERY NARROW AND THE REPORTER BELIEVED THAT HE NEEDED TO TAXI RIGHT OF CENTERLINE TO AVOID HITTING PARKED ACFT WITH HIS LEFT WINGTIP. THIS CAUSED HIS RIGHT WHEEL TO LEAVE THE TXWY AND SINK INTO VERY SOFT EARTH CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE. IN HINDSIGHT; WINGTIP DAMAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR LESS EXPENSIVE; BUT JUST STOPPING TO CHECK CLEARANCES WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BEST OF ALL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.