Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 65; Flight Crew Total 455; Flight Crew Type 300
Other / Unknown; Time Pressure; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
Upon completion of a night cross country with my student; we fueled our aircraft at the self-serve fuel pumps at T67. We then began our taxi back to the hangar at about XA:30 local time. During the taxi we had our rotating beacon; position; and anti-collision lights as well as landing and taxi lights on; and observed no radio calls on CTAF frequency nor did we see any other aircraft operating on the taxiway or other movement areas. As we were approaching the hangar while on the taxiway centerline; we were forced to take evasive action. We swerved the aircraft to the far right side of the taxiway to narrowly avoid a Cessna; which was being moved by hand and was on a portion of the taxiway. The aircraft had no rotating beacon; navigation/position; strobes or landing lights on at the time and only became visible to me and my student at the last possible second. Upon completion of securing our aircraft; I was confronted by the persons who were moving the Cessna. They told me that my student and I came within about a foot of striking they're aircraft and telling me that it was my fault. I commented back that they are supposed to give way to an aircraft being operated under its own power; and they should have at a minimum the position lights on; if they are going to be moving an aircraft on or close to the movement area/taxiway at night; as we did not see them until it was almost too late. I also told them that we were taxiing on the taxiway centerline provided; which is supposed to give us wingtip clearance; which is especially critical at night; as forward; and side visibility is drastically reduced at night. They left the confrontation without myself or my student feeling as though the matter was understood from both sides.
C172 pilot reported a critical ground conflict with another aircraft under tow by hand with no lights on; during night operations.