Incident Overview
A tailwheel-equipped airplane was involved in a taxiway collision with another aircraft that was holding short. The pilot of the tailwheel airplane reported that he had been cleared to taxi to the departure runway. While taxiing, he conducted S-turns to maintain forward visibility over the nose of his airplane. The pilot stated that during these maneuvers, he "must have missed a call to the aircraft ahead of him," which had been instructed to hold short of an upcoming taxiway.
Impact and Damage
The tailwheel airplane subsequently impacted the empennage (tail section) of the stationary airplane. The collision resulted in substantial damage to the right wing of the tailwheel airplane and substantial damage to the empennage of the stopped airplane. Both pilots noted that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with their respective aircraft that would have precluded normal operation.
Pilot Statements
The pilot of the tailwheel airplane acknowledged the missed communication while maneuvering for visibility. The pilot of the stopped airplane reported no prior indication of the impending collision. No other contributing factors were cited in the incident report.
Conclusion
The event underscores the challenges of taxiing a tailwheel aircraft with limited forward visibility, particularly when S-turns are employed. However, no official determination of probable cause has been provided in the source material.