19990504004559A

Acft ground looped and flipped over while taxiing to the rwy in preparation for departure, other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on may 4, 1999, at 1045 hours pacific daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, N2403E, ground looped and came to rest inverted on a taxiway while preparing for an intersection departure on runway 24 at the general fox field airport, Lancaster, California. The aircraft, owned and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR part 91, sustained substantial damage. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time and scheduled to terminate at the whiteman airport, los angeles, California, on the day of the accident. The pilot stated that he had been cleared to taxi to runway 24 for takeoff. In order to position the aircraft on the runway, the pilot conducted a 360-degree turn. The pilot stated that during the turn he lost control of the aircraft after it was struck by a gust of wind that elevated the tail. The pilot reported gusty wind conditions existed and there were no mechanical anomalies with the aircraft. (.4)the pilot had been cleared for an intersection takeoff and was attempting a 360-degree turn to realign the airplane with the taxiway. The winds at the time the pilot attempted the maneuver were from 270 degrees at 20 knots, with higher gusts to 26 knots. As the tail turned into the wind during the turn, the tail lifted and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical abnormalities with the conventional gear airplane.