WHILE LOOKING FOR AN EXIT THAT WAS ALREADY BEHIND THE ACFT FOLLOWING A LOW VISIBILITY LNDG; PLT OF PA31 TAXIS OFF END OF RWY STRIKING A TAXI LIGHT WITH THE RIGHT PROP.
Synopsis
WHILE LOOKING FOR AN EXIT THAT WAS ALREADY BEHIND THE ACFT FOLLOWING A LOW VISIBILITY LNDG; PLT OF PA31 TAXIS OFF END OF RWY STRIKING A TAXI LIGHT WITH THE RIGHT PROP.
Narrative
THE PROB BEGAN ON APCH WITH MY WINDSHIELD WHICH FOGGED. THE HEATER WAS ON (AND HAD BEEN ON SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MY DSCNT). AFTER LNDG AT MINIMUMS IN VERY LOW VISIBILITY; I SLOWED THE ACFT TO TAXI SPD. AT THE SIDE OF THE RWY WAS A VEHICLE WITH FLASHING LIGHTS WHICH I ALLOWED TO DISTRACT ME. WHEN TWR ISSUED NO EXITING INSTRUCTIONS; I ASKED IF THEY WANTED ME TO EXIT AT TXWY ALPHA. THEY SAID ALPHA WOULD BE FINE. I WAS CERTAIN I KNEW WHERE I WAS ON THE RWY (IN RETROSPECT; I WAS FULLY 1000 FT FARTHER THAN I THOUGHT). WHILE LOOKING FOR TXWY A; WHICH IS A HARD L TURN OFF RWY 15; THE FRONT WINDSHIELD FOGGED AGAIN. WHEN I WIPED IT CLEAN; I SAW THE END OF THE RWY -- TOO LATE TO STOP. I RAN INTO THE OVERRUN. AFTER STOPPING; I TURNED AROUND AND TAXIED OUT; INFORMING GND THAT I WAS EXITING AT TXWY G. WHEN I GOT TO THE RAMP; I INSPECTED THE GEAR AND FOUND NO INDICATION OF DAMAGE. I CALLED GND BACK AND TOLD THEM I'D GONE INTO THE OVERRUN AND SUGGESTED THEY SEND SOMEONE OUT TO MAKE SURE I'D NOT HIT ANYTHING (THOUGH I NEITHER HEARD NOR FELT ANYTHING WHEN I WENT INTO THE OVERRUN). A FEW MINS LATER; I REALIZED I HAD NOT INSPECTED THE PROPS. I FOUND 1 BLADE ON THE R PROP WITH A SLIGHT NICK AND 1 BLADE WITH A SIGNIFICANT NICK. THE THIRD BLADE HAD NO DAMAGE. THE L PROP WAS FINE. I GNDED THE PLANE. TWR CALLED ME BACK LATER TO CONFIRM I'D HIT A LIGHT. THIS IS WHAT I INTEND TO DO TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE: 1) CARRY A SECOND PLT WHENEVER POSSIBLE. 2) REGARDLESS OF MY FAMILIARITY WITH THE FIELD; I WILL BRING THE PLANE TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE RWY WHEN LNDG AT MINIMUMS. THEN PROCEED SLOWLY WITH TAXI. 3) REQUEST TAXI INSTRUCTIONS SOONER IF TWR IS NOT FORTHCOMING; AND ADVISE THEM STEP-BY-STEP WHERE I AM ON THE RWY.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.