20041118029739I

(-23) Date: November 18, 2004 Theodore Francis Green State Airport (pvd) patrick michael judge cert# 002774470 N9837H CE-182R s/n 18268058 FSDO-02 privacy data omitted N9837H, CE-182-R, was going from Providence RI (pvd) to chatham ma (cqx), when at 1745 EST, 11/18/04 the aircraft taxied down a service road prior to being directed by pvd ATC to runway 23 for departure. Pvd ATC reported that the aircraft was lost on the service road and ATC requested that the aircraft flash it's lights so they could locate it on the airport. Once the aircraft was found it was directed to alpha taxiway, then onto runway 23 for departure. ATC reported the PIC did not seem sure of himself. After departing pvd, the aircraft came up on cape TRACON radar prior to switching frequency. The aircraft continued on and landed at chatham (cqx) later on. Two hours later while rhode island airport corporation (riac) was performing a routine check around the service road area they found damage to one of their medium intensity approach lighting systems located near the perimeter service road. Riac feels that N9837H caused the damage. Inspectors statement: the following is a statement received from Providence airport traffic control tower. At 2249Z, N9837H called ground control (gc) for taxi to runway 23 from northstar aviation. N9837H was instructed to taxi to runway 23 via taxiway alpha. Approximately one minute later the pilot questioned his taxi route. The controller instructed N9837H to proceed straight ahead on taxiway alpha and contact the tower. At 2252Z the local controller (lc) called 9837H to see if he was ready, no response. At 2253Z the pilot asked lc if he went too FAR. Lc was not sure of the aircraft's position so he sent a Cessna around on final to runway 23. The controller then asked N9837H his position and the pilot stated he was at the stop sign by the shack on alpha (there is no shack or stop sign on alpha). The controller the instructed N9837H to taxi into position and hold but then decided to have N9837H wait for a vehicle escort. At that point the pilot stated he has runway 23 in sight. The controller instructed N9837H to hold short of the runway on alpha. The pilot departed at 2255Z without further incident. Approximately two hours later while inspecting the airport, airport operations discovered that a runway 23 medium intensity approach lighting system (malsr) light tower had been damaged. The approach light tower was adjacent to the access road that N9837H taxied on previously. On Friday 11/19/04 I inspected N9837H at chatham municipal airport. The airport manager privacy data omitted let me in the hangar to inspect the aircraft. There was a small dent (1/8 inch) approximately two inches long with minor scratches. This would be considered very minimal damage. The pilot stated that during his ground taxi in pvd on Thursday night "it was dark and with the noise of the engine, I did not hear or see the left wing hit the malsr." He was also wearing a noise-cancelling headset. "He did not remember hitting anything." He also stated that he has approximately 30 hours of night flying but had not flown at night for a long time. Mr. Judge has a total of 200 hours.