History of the Flight
On August 28, 2012, at about 1315 Pacific daylight time, substantial damage to the left wing of a Piper PA-28R-200, registration N4922T, was discovered by the president of a fixed base operator (FBO) while refueling the airplane. The discovery occurred shortly after a flight conducted by a private pilot and a certified flight instructor (CFI). Neither pilot was aware of the damage until it was brought to their attention. The flight was an instructional flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions. No FAA flight plan was filed. The flight originated and terminated at Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field, PAE) in Everett, Washington.
The private pilot had recently failed the practical test for his commercial pilot certificate, so he and the CFI scheduled several flights to prepare for another test. The day before the damage was discovered, the two completed a dual flight, and later that same day the pilot flew a solo flight in the same airplane.
On the day of discovery, the two conducted another dual flight. During departure from PAE, they noticed that the landing gear retraction time was unduly long; the CFI remarked on it at the time. They continued the flight and performed some airwork. As planned, the pilot executed one landing at Firstair Field Airport (W16) in Monroe, Washington. Both pilots characterized the landing as "hard," but observed no visible damage. After taxiing back for departure, during the climbout, the landing gear did not retract. They cycled the gear without success, left it extended, and returned to PAE for an uneventful landing. The FBO president discovered the wing damage shortly thereafter.
Personnel Information
The CFI had approximately 1,350 total flight hours, including about 112 hours in the same airplane make and model. His most recent flight review was completed in March 2011, and his most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued in February 2012.
The private pilot had approximately 269 total flight hours, including about 90 hours in the accident airplane make and model. His most recent flight review was completed in August 2012, and his most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued in July 2009. The pilot was a resident of Japan and was in the United States for flight training. A few days after the discovery of the wing damage, the pilot returned to Japan, and NTSB attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.
Aircraft Information
The airplane had accumulated approximately 4,307 total hours in service. Review of maintenance records showed that the most recent maintenance was a 50-hour inspection performed on the Monday prior to the dual and solo flights. One checklist item for that inspection was "Aircraft Exterior – Visually check aircraft exterior for obvious damage or defects;" the corresponding documentation indicated that no anomalies were detected.
The airplane flight log revealed that the pilot flew the airplane solo on both the Saturday and Sunday before the inspection, and that no other persons flew the airplane on those days or on the Monday of the inspection. The log also showed that the only flight on the day the damage was discovered was the dual flight with the pilot and CFI.
Meteorological Information
Automated weather observations at PAE, located 12 miles north of W16, included: at 1153, winds from 250 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 14 knots; at 1253, winds from 180 degrees at 8 knots with gusts to 23 knots.
Airport Information
According to FAA information, runway 7/25 at W16 was paved, measuring 2,087 feet by 34 feet at an elevation of 50 feet mean sea level (msl). Runway 16L at PAE was paved, measuring 3,000 feet by 75 feet at an elevation of 606 feet msl.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that damage was confined to the left wing structure near the attach point for the left main landing gear (LMLG). The upper wing skin was locally deformed by an underlying spanwise member, and several rivets joining an upper rib flange to the upper wing skin were fractured or pulled from their holes. Inside the LMLG wheel well, one upper rib flange was fractured, one vertical "L" angle was pulled from its attach points, and one two-piece panel was buckled.