RV-8
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 18; Flight Crew Total 18200; Flight Crew Type 404
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Communication Breakdown
Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Aircraft
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Procedure; Human Factors
Chain of Events: During taxi out for a formation flight I was #2 of 6. Taxi was single file with a standard spacing. As we taxied I added a slight amount of power to adjust my spacing from the lead aircraft. The flight lead gave a frequency change while we were in route to the runway. Due to frequency congestion I was not sure I had entered the correct frequency and glanced down to check it. When I looked up the leader had stopped and I immediately cut the power and applied brakes. As I was still closing on the lead aircraft I attempted additional braking which caused the tail to rise and the prop caught the rudder of the lead aircraft. I immediately shut down my engine and advised the lead aircraft to shut down.The lead aircraft had damage to the rudder; vertical stabilizer and elevators.My aircraft had gouges in the propeller and paint on the nose cone and engine cowling.Contributing Factors: Frequency congestion; Momentary distraction; Unbriefed/Called stop by lead aircraft.Corrective Action: Review and modify formation taxi procedures to prevent reocurrance.
Pilot reported distractions lead to a collision on a taxiway with another aircraft during preparations for formation operations.