A PA28-181 TAXIES INTO A TOW BAR THAT WAS NOT SEEN ON THE PARKING RAMP DURING A NIGHT OP AND SUFFERS A PROP STRIKE.

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XA00 SUNDAY NIGHT; SEP/XA/98. I GAVE A DEMONSTRATION FLT WHICH LASTED ABOUT 20 MINS. I LEFT AT SUNSET AND LANDED AFTER DARK. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FLT; I PULLED UP INTO THE PARKING AREA. I STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE PARKING AREA WHERE THE FLT SCHOOL PARKS THEIR RENTAL ACFT. THERE WERE ONLY A COUPLE OF THE SCHOOL ACFT PARKED AT THE END OF THE ROW. THERE WERE ABOUT 8 OPEN SPACES FOR PARKING N OF THAT. I TAXIED TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE OPEN SPACES; LEAVING A COUPLE OF OPEN SPACES BEYOND EACH WING AND I TAXIED BTWN TIE-DOWN ANCHORS AND INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A SLIGHT ANGLE. THE INTENT WAS TO MAKE A SLIGHT L TURN IN ORDER TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE T ONCE THE MAIN GEAR REACHED THE HORIZ LINE. THE PROP STRUCK A LONG TOW BAR PLACED IN THE PARKING SPACE. IT WAS LYING FLAT ON THE PAVEMENT AT THE L SIDE OF THE TAIL ANCHOR. THE TOW BAR IS A HOME MADE BAR; UNPAINTED METAL; VERY HVY; FLAT AND IT LAY VERTLY IN THE PARKING SPACE ON THE L SIDE OF THE TAIL ANCHOR. IT EXTENDED FROM THE TAIL ANCHOR FORWARD ABOUT 3 FT. THE AREA FOR THE BAR WAS MARKED WITH A WHITE RECTANGLE OF SOMEWHAT WORN PAINT. MY LIGHTS DID NOT PICK UP THE PAINT OR THE BAR. I SHUT DOWN THE ENG WITH MIXTURE; AND AS THE ENG CAME TO A STOP; IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE PROP WAS OUT OF BAL. ONE END OF THE PROP BLADE WAS BENT FORWARD AND HAD A RAGGED DING ABOUT 1/2 INCH DEEP.