19991223044922A

(.4)On December 23, 1999, at 1214 hours pacific standard time, a pitts S-2B biplane, N87WA, collided with a Piper PA-28R-201, N43793, while taxiing for takeoff from a tee hangar area at the Santa Ana, California, airport. The Piper PA-28R-201 was holding short of a taxiway at the hold line when the collision occurred. The pitts S-2B, operated by the pilot, sustained minor damage. The Piper, owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. Neither private pilot in the pitts S-2B nor the airline transport pilot in the Piper PA-28R was injured. The local area personal flights were being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plans were filed. A federal aviation administration inspector from the long beach, California, flight standards district office responded to the scene and interviewed the pilots. The pitts pilot stated that he was between a tee hangar row when he had been cleared for takeoff. He said he was performing s-turns for forward visibility while taxiing. During the second s-turn, he contacted the left wing and fuselage of the Piper, causing substantial damage. The Piper pilot stated that he was at the end of the alley between the tee hangar rows holding short of an active taxiway awaiting a clearance from ground control, and did not see the pitts until the collision. A ground witness was standing on the ramp at the end of a tee hangar row off the right wing of the Piper. He stated that the Piper was stationary and the pitts taxied up from behind and tried to cut between the Piper and a tee hangar. The witness said he had to run from his location out of the path of the pitts to keep from being hit. The pitts pilot failed to sign for a registered letter from the safety board requesting the filing of a NTSB form 6120.1/2, pilot/operator aircraft accident report. (-23)on December 23, 1999, at 1214 PST, at John Wayne airport, the operator of a pitts S-2B, N87WY, taxied into a Piper arrow, PA-28R-201, N43793. Mr. Viviegre, PIC of the pitts, stated that he was cleared to takeoff and started his taxi. He stated that upon his second s-turn he clipped the left side and wing of the Piper. Mr. Viviegre stated that he did not see the Piper, Mr. Logan, owner and PIC of the Piper arrow, stated that he was instru cted to hold short at the hold line of taxiway golf. Mr. Logan stated that there was not enough room for the pitts to go around him on his left side. The pitts sustained minor damage on its right wing tip, propeller, and air intake. The Piper had substantial damage on the left wing from the middle of its trailing edge to the center of the wing. The left side of the fuselage was buckled in front of the elevator and pushed out slightly in front of the left wing. This accident investigation is closed.