Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Distraction; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Ground Event / Encounter Object; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Gate; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Procedure
We were cleared to taxi. My mental picture of the taxi was to the end of Taxiway A and right turn on the runway. I called for below the line after being cleared to takeoff. When we should have turned onto the runway; the checklist item required me to check the engine instruments. When I looked back up we noticed we should have turned. We informed Ground and they said continue on [current taxiway] and turn around on the ramp and taxi back. We asked if the taxi was stressed for our aircraft. While standing by we contacted our Ramp Maintenance to tow us. Ground Control came back and gave us taxi instructions to continue on [current taxiway] that our company aircraft just did the same thing. We proceeded as instructed. After turning around and back on to taxi A; we were told that we took out a taxi light. We then taxi back to gate to have gear inspected. No damage was found. Then continued flight. Both heads down in cockpit while aircraft was taxing.
Air carrier Captain reported being distracted by checklist items during taxi resulting in a taxiway incursion and contact with a taxiway light.