PLT OF MS0P; INEXPERIENCED IN TYPE; FAILED TO REALIZE THAT THE PAVED SURFACE ON WHICH HE WAS TAXIING DID NOT CONTINUE IN HIS DIRECTION OF TAXI. A TXWY EXCURSION FOLLOWED.

Narrative

I WAS DEPARTING THE RAMP AREA TO TRANSITION TO THE TXWY AT GWINNETT COUNTY ARPT (LZU). AS I WAS TAXIING TO THE END OF THE RAMP WHERE IT INTERSECTS THE TXWYS; THE ACFT LEFT THE PAVED SURFACED AREA AND WENT DOWN A SMALL GRADE THAT WAS GRASSED. THIS GRASSED AREA WAS BTWN AN UPPER AND LOWER PAVED RAMP. THE ACFT WENT FROM THIS GRASSED AREA BACK ONTO THE PAVED SURFACE. I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE PROP MAY HAVE COME IN CONTACT WITH THE LOWER RAMP SURFACE; SO I CONTACTED GND CTL AND REQUESTED CLRNC TO TAXI BACK TO MY STARTING POINT ON THE ARPT (APPROX 75 YARDS). AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT APPROX 6 INCHES OF THE PROP WAS DAMAGED. THERE WERE PROP STRIKE MARKS IN THE PAVEMENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDED AN UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE RAMP AREA; A VISUAL ILLUSION THAT THE RAMP WAS CONTINUOUS AND AN INABILITY TO SEE CLRLY OVER THE NOSE OF THE ACFT DUE TO SEATING POS AND HIGH INST GLARE SHIELD. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT; I WILL VISUALLY INSPECT THE RAMP AREA FOR POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS PRIOR TO TAXIING.