What happened
The pilot attempted to taxi the aircraft to a parking area during dark night conditions. The landing light was not operable, leaving the pilot without forward illumination on the ground. The taxiway leading to the parking ramp was marked solely by reflectors.
The pilot misjudged his position relative to the hard surface and exited the taxiway. The aircraft struck a fiberglass pole located approximately 13 feet north of the taxiway edge. Following the impact, the main gear settled into a ditch area, resulting in damage to the wing spar.
The investigation
Examination of the aircraft revealed that the landing light was not operable at the time of the incident. The taxiway markings consisted only of reflectors, providing limited guidance in the dark. The impact with the fiberglass pole caused structural damage to the wing spar when the main gear settled into the ditch.
Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain situational awareness during night taxiing contributed to the accident. The lack of an operable landing light reduced visibility of the taxiway edges. Misjudging position on a reflector-marked taxiway led to the departure from the hard surface.