What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
From pic's statement: after landing on runway 10 a non-flying pilot and I were cleared by kues tower to taxi to the fuel ramp via taxiway echo. The tower then announced it was closing for the night and asked if any aircraft needed assistance. An incoming pilot stated he needed assistance with the lights, but the controller stated he was closing at 2100. This unusual conversation slightly diverted my attention. At this time, the controller and incoming pilot continued their conversation
On how to work the lights - which resulted in the lights suddenly being cycled up to full bright and then
Down again. The combined radio and light changes right out the window were disorienting. The non-flying pilot simultaneously announced sighting the fuel trucks parked to the FAR right (west end)
Of a large hangar. I turned my head to the right and lost the rest of my night vision due to the multiple
Lights on the building shining at the ramp and us as I tried to focus on the trucks. At this point I realized I had turned early and was on the grass and then heard a "pop." I
Continued taxiing with with no abnormal engine noise or vibration to the fuel truck and shut down. When
Inspecting after shut down, I found a nick in the prop. I went to the taxiway and confirmed the last taxi
Light in my right-hand turning radius into the non-movement area was damaged.
Chain of events summary: the chain of events leading up to the incident could be described as:
Distracting unusual radio traffic about relevant night lights and tower operations.
Subsequent night vision disorientation from the multi-level cycling of all ground lights - from
Normal / full high I dim / off.
3) Loss of night vision looking into the bright lights of the illuminated buildings and ramp resulting in
An early turn with neither pilot seeing the final taxi light.
As the FAA filed it
FROM PIC'S STATEMENT: AFTER LANDING ON RUNWAY 10 A NON-FLYING PILOT AND I WERE CLEARED BY KUES TOWER TO TAXI TO THE FUEL RAMP VIA TAXIWAY ECHO. THE TOWER THEN ANNOUNCED IT WAS CLOSING FOR THE NIGHT AND ASKED IF ANY AIRCRAFT NEEDED ASSISTANCE. AN INCOMING PILOT STATED HE NEEDED ASSISTANCE WITH THE LIGHTS, BUT THE CONTROLLER STATED HE WAS CLOSING AT 2100. THIS UNUSUAL CONVERSATION SLIGHTLY DIVERTED MY ATTENTION. AT THIS TIME, THE CONTROLLER AND INCOMING PILOT CONTINUED THEIR CONVERSATION
ON HOW TO WORK THE LIGHTS - WHICH RESULTED IN THE LIGHTS SUDDENLY BEING CYCLED UP TO FULL BRIGHT AND THEN
DOWN AGAIN. THE COMBINED RADIO AND LIGHT CHANGES RIGHT OUT THE WINDOW WERE DISORIENTING. THE NON-FLYING PILOT SIMULTANEOUSLY ANNOUNCED SIGHTING THE FUEL TRUCKS PARKED TO THE FAR RIGHT (WEST END)
OF A LARGE HANGAR. I TURNED MY HEAD TO THE RIGHT AND LOST THE REST OF MY NIGHT VISION DUE TO THE MULTIPLE
LIGHTS ON THE BUILDING SHINING AT THE RAMP AND US AS I TRIED TO FOCUS ON THE TRUCKS. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED I HAD TURNED EARLY AND WAS ON THE GRASS AND THEN HEARD A "POP." I
CONTINUED TAXIING WITH WITH NO ABNORMAL ENGINE NOISE OR VIBRATION TO THE FUEL TRUCK AND SHUT DOWN. WHEN
INSPECTING AFTER SHUT DOWN, I FOUND A NICK IN THE PROP. I WENT TO THE TAXIWAY AND CONFIRMED THE LAST TAXI
LIGHT IN MY RIGHT-HAND TURNING RADIUS INTO THE NON-MOVEMENT AREA WAS DAMAGED.
CHAIN OF EVENTS SUMMARY: THE CHAIN OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE INCIDENT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS:
DISTRACTING UNUSUAL RADIO TRAFFIC ABOUT RELEVANT NIGHT LIGHTS AND TOWER OPERATIONS.
SUBSEQUENT NIGHT VISION DISORIENTATION FROM THE MULTI-LEVEL CYCLING OF ALL GROUND LIGHTS - FROM
NORMAL / FULL HIGH I DIM / OFF.
3) LOSS OF NIGHT VISION LOOKING INTO THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE ILLUMINATED BUILDINGS AND RAMP RESULTING IN
AN EARLY TURN WITH NEITHER PILOT SEEING THE FINAL TAXI LIGHT.