PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT INADVERTENTLY TAXIED INTO A DITCH ALONGSIDE OF THE TXWY AT NIGHT RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE ACFT'S PROP AND WINGTIP AREA.

Narrative

WHILE TAXIING TO THE ACTIVE RWY 18 AT CONWAY; AR; I HAD TO CROSS RWY 7/25. IT WAS AFTER DARK; THERE IS A SLIGHT BEND IN THE TXWY; AND THE TXWY LIGHTS WERE SPACED FAR ENOUGH APART THAT THE TXWY COURSE WAS A LITTLE UNCLR. I MISSED THE BEND IN THE TXWY AND THE NOSE OF THE ACFT DROPPED OFF THE TXWY AND INTO THE DIRT ALONGSIDE IT. THE GND WAS QUITE SOFT; SO THE NOSEWHEEL SANK FAR ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE PROP TO STRIKE THE GND. DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS CONFINED TO 1 PROP BLADE AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE R OUTBOARD WING UNDERSIDE. THE FAA WAS NOTIFIED; AND HAS CLASSIFIED THIS AS AN 'INCIDENT.' FATIGUE MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR; BUT I FEEL THE PRIMARY CAUSE WAS INADEQUATE LIGHTING ALONG THE TXWY; SPECIFICALLY THAT THE TXWY LIGHTS WERE SPACED TOO FAR APART TO MARK THE PATH CLRLY; ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE BEND IN THE TXWY WHERE IT CROSSES RWY 7/25. I HAD SLOWED THE ACFT DOWN JUST BEFORE REACHING THE DITCH BECAUSE I FELT SOMETHING WAS WRONG; BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN TIME TO STOP; BECAUSE THE NOSE PITCHED FORWARD QUITE SUDDENLY. IT WOULD ALSO BE ADVISABLE TO PLACE DRAINAGE DITCHES FURTHER AWAY FROM RWYS AND TXWYS; TO ALLOW A GENTLER SLOPE AND MORE TIME FOR THE PLT TO REACT IF HE INADVERTENTLY LEAVES THE PAVED SURFACE; AS I DID.