Piper PA-22-108 Fabrication Incident in Puerto Montt

Incident Overview and Flight Details On December 21, 2022, at approximately 16:20 local time, a commercial pilot operating a Piper PA-22-108 aircraft departed from Aeródromo Marcel Marchant (SCPF) in Puerto Montt, Chile. The flight was a local aerial work operation, specifically a public address or 'perifoneo' flight, with no passengers on board. During the flight toward the work area, the pilot heard a noise in the aircraft and, as a precaution, decided to return to SCPF. While on final approach to runway 01, the pilot observed natural light entering through the top of the fuselage, specifically the cabin roof, which indicated a detachment of the fabric covering. The pilot executed a normal landing without declaring an emergency. Upon stopping the aircraft in the parking area, the damage was observed. The pilot was uninjured, and the aircraft sustained damage to the fabric covering on the upper fuselage. ## Aircraft and Maintenance Information The aircraft involved was a Piper PA-22-108, manufactured by Piper Aircraft Inc. in 1961, with serial number 22-8971. The aircraft had 5,473 hours of service. The engine was a Lycoming O-235-C1B, serial number L-785-15. The last inspection was conducted on September 15, 2022, a 100-hour inspection. The aircraft's certified empty weight was 1,067 pounds, and the maximum takeoff weight was 1,650 pounds. ## Pilot Information The pilot in command was a 31-year-old Chilean national holding a commercial pilot license for single-engine land aircraft. The pilot also held a flight instructor rating. The pilot had a total of 1,699.9 flight hours, with 315.3 hours in the specific aircraft type. The pilot had no previous incident or accident record. ## Investigation and Findings The investigation was conducted in accordance with the recommended standards and methods (SARPs) established in Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, and the regulations on the investigation of aviation accidents and incidents (DAR-13). The investigation focused on determining the causes of the incident for safety prevention purposes. The primary damage was a torn section of the fabric covering on the upper part of the fuselage. No other damage was reported, and there were no injuries to the pilot or others.