FORMATION FLT OF 2 C172 AS TAXIING TFC. #2 COLLIDES WITH #1 DURING TAXI PROC.

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ON FEB/THU/97 I WAS THE PIC OF FIRST ACFT; A C172; ON A FERRY FLT FROM DAB TO X47. THE TIME WAS APPROX AB00 AM; THE WX WAS VFR. I CONTACTED CLRNC DELIVERY TO OBTAIN A VFR CLRNC FOR A FLT OF 2 BANNER TOW ACFT AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT GND FOR TAXI. CALLING GND WITH ATIS INFO; MY ACFT WAS CLRED TO TAXI VIA TXWY S TO TXWY W; R ON TXWY W TO MAKE A R TURN TO HOLD SHORT AT RWY 7L. THE ACFT PROCEEDED ONTO TXWY S AND COMPANY ACFT #2 WAS FOLLOWING ACFT #1. AS WE APCHED INTERSECTING RWY 16/34; I SLOWED TO CLR THE AREA PRIOR TO XING. AS I SLOWED; ACFT #2 TAXIED INTO THE TAIL OF MY ACFT. THE L WING OF ACFT #2; A C172; STRUCK THE RUDDER OF ACFT #1 AND THEN VEERED TO THE R. #2 ACFT SUSTAINED A DENT IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE L WING NEAR THE STRUT ATTACH POINT. #1 ACFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE VERT STABILIZER AND RUDDER. ARPT OPS HAD US TAXI BOTH ACFT BACK TO THE HANGAR AND SECURE THEM. THE PROB BEGAN AT THE COMPANY HANGAR. WE HAD 1 HR TO MOVE THE AIRPLANE TO X47; TOP THEM OFF AND PICK UP AND PULL THE FIRST OF MANY BANNERS FOR THAT DAY. THE PLTS WERE RUSHED BY THE BOSS AND TOLD TO DEPART AS A FLT OF 2; AND NEITHER PLT HAD MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH THAT OP. BOTH PLANES WERE TAXIING FAIRLY CLOSE TOGETHER AND THE PLTS HAVE NOT OPERATED TOGETHER THAT MUCH; THEREFORE I FEEL EACH PLT WAS NOT FULLY AWARE OF WHAT ACTIONS THE OTHER PLT WOULD TAKE. TO CORRECT THE PROB FOR THIS INCIDENT; MORE TIME SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOTTED FOR THE FERRY PROCESS. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS INCLUDE PLTS HAD GOOD REST; BOTH ARE IN GOOD HEALTH (CLASS I MEDICAL). IN MY OPINION; BOTH PLTS MADE A BAD JUDGEMENT CALL WITH REGARD TO ACCEPTING ORDERS FROM THE BOSS TO DO SOMETHING NEITHER PLT WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH (FLT OF 2) AND ALLOWING OURSELVES TO BE RUSHED. TIME LIMITS WERE ALSO CONTRIBUTING. POOR JUDGEMENT DECISION.