Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to see and avoid the airplane stopped ahead of him during taxi.
The other pilot’s failure to see and avoid the airplane stopped ahead of him during taxi.
NTSB analysis
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he was cleared to taxi to the departure runway. He added that, while taxiing, he was doing S-turns to see over the nose of his airplane, and "must have missed a call to the aircraft [airplane] ahead of him," which had been instructed to hold short of the upcoming taxiway. His airplane impacted the empennage of the stopped airplane that was holding short.
His airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, and the stopped airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage.
Both pilots reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with their airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA17CA077 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Nov 22, 2016
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- San Diego, California
- Nearest airport
- Montgomery-Gibbs Executive (MYF)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.