DHC1 PLT HAS COLLISION WITH C172 ACFT WHILE TAXIING AT BHM.

Narrative

ACFT #1 LANDED ON RWY 24; INSTRUCTED TO DO A 180 DEG TURN ON RWY; TAXI VIA TXWY F; HOLD AT RWY 18. WHEN ACFT #1 TAXIED OFF RWY 24 AT TXWY A5; THE TWR TOLD ACFT #1 TO CROSS RWY 18 AND TAXI TO THE RAMP. ACFT #1 DID 'S-TURN' (TAIL DRAGGER) AND VISUALIZED TXWY N AND PROCEEDED TO THE RAMP. THE PLT THOUGHT TWR WANTED HIM TO CROSS AT TXWY N. AT THE SAME TIME ACFT #2 WAS TAXIING N ON TXWY G TO TXWY N AND WAS IN THE BLIND SPOT OF THE CHIPMUNK (ACFT #1). ACFT #1 SAW ACFT #2 A SPLIT SECOND BEFORE IMPACT; STOPPED AND ACFT #2 TRYING TO TAXI N OFF TXWY N; COLLIDED WITH ACFT #2; CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO ACFT #2 WHEN ACFT #1'S PROP HIT L-HAND WING OF ACFT #2. ACFT #1 MISTAKENLY USED TXWY N TO CROSS RWY 18 SINCE IT WAS AT ENTRANCE OF TXWY N WHEN INSTRUCTED TO CROSS RWY 18. VISIBILITY OUT OF TAILWHEEL AIRPLANES IS ZERO LOOKING FORWARD; REQUIRING S-TURNS. THE PROB WAS THAT ACFT #2 WAS MOVING AND THEREFORE; STAYED IN ACFT #1'S BLIND SPOT. ACFT #2 FAILED TO KEEP A LOOK-OUT AND THE TWR GND CTLR FAILED TO MONITOR HIS TFC AND FAILED TO ADVISE EITHER ACFT #1 OR #2 OF PRESENCE OF EACH OTHER. THE ATC OPS MANUAL SHOULD REQUIRE THE GND CTLR TO VISUALLY MONITOR ALL MOVEMENTS OF ACFT APCHING OR EXITING TXWYS AND RWYS. THE ONE PERSON IN THE 'BEST' POS TO SEE AND AVOID THIS INCIDENT WAS THE TWR GND CTLR. HE FAILED TO DO HIS JOB.