A C152 STUDENT PLT IMPACTED THE LEADING EDGE OF HIS R WING DURING TAXI AT VDF AFTER WHICH HE DEPARTED FOR HIS HOME ARPT.

Narrative

I WAS TAXIING OUT AT VANDENBERG ARPT (VDF) USING THE TXWY HEADED TO RWY 36. SIMULTANEOUSLY; AN ACFT WAS LNDG PARALLEL TO MY ACFT ON RWY 18; MAKING A FULL STOP. I DETERMINED THAT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO TURN MY ACFT AROUND AS TO AVOID A HEAD-ON TAXI SIT WITH THE OTHER ACFT CLRING THE RWY. I PROCEEDED TO TAXI ONTO AN AREA WITH PVT HANGARS AND TURNED ONTO WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A TXWY (WHICH WAS AN ACCESS ROAD) IN ORDER TO MAKE A U-TURN AND WAIT FOR THE OTHER ACFT TO PASS. WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF TURNING; THE R WING OF THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SIGN NEXT TO THE ROAD; CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE. I TURNED OFF THE ENG AND EXITED THE ACFT TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE WHICH I THOUGHT TO BE TOO MINOR TO PREVENT FLYING. I MANUALLY POSITIONED THE ACFT SO THAT I COLD CLR THE SIGN. I THEN COMPLETED THE TURN WITH MY ACFT AND PROCEEDED WITH MY FLT. MY POOR DECISION MAKING; AND THE FACT THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE TXWYS; RESULTED IN THE INCIDENT. HAD I BEEN MORE AWARE OF MY SURROUNDINGS; I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THERE WAS ADEQUATE ROOM AT THE END OF THE TXWY FOR BOTH ACFT. MAINT DETERMINED THAT THE R LEADING EDGE WAS DENTED SUFFICIENTLY TO REQUIRE INSPECTION OF THE ENTIRE WING AND REPLACEMENT OF THE SKIN PANEL JUST INBOARD OF THE R WINGTIP.