The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped Cessna 180 reported that, after landing at the airport in Moriarty, N.M., while exiting onto the taxiway, he decided to “cut the corner” instead of following the taxiway centerline.
He did not see the parked glider to his right. When he did see it, he applied the brakes, the airplane’s tail came up, and the elevator struck the glider’s vertical and horizontal stabilizer
The airplane sustained substantial damage to right elevator.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to see and avoid a parked glider while taxiing from the runway.
This December 2018 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
