Curtiss Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000 N8700 and Amateur-built LANCAIR 235 N880RS accident near Torrance, California

Probable cause

The Travel Air pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout during taxi.

NTSB analysis

The Travel Air pilot was taxiing down the 58-foot-wide asphalt lane that stretched between rows of hangar buildings toward a taxiway. Prior to beginning the taxi the pilot had visually checked the lane and had not observed any other aircraft in the lane between his position and the taxiway. The Travel Air is a tailwheel-type configuration, and the pilot was making continuous S-turns to look for obstructions ahead of his position. As he reached the end of the buildings, his propeller collided with the empennage of a stationary Lancair that had been pulled out of the end hangar. The pilot of the Lancair had started his engine and was contacting the Air Traffic Control Tower for a clearance onto the taxiway when the collision occurred. The point of the collision is in a non-movement ramp area not subject to air traffic control separation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR10CA079 for the full record.