What happened
On April 8, 2018, a Piper PA-28 operated by CAE Oxford Aviation Academy Phoenix Inc was taxiing to a parking spot in Tucson, Arizona. During the maneuver, the student pilot aligned the aircraft with the parking spot and applied power to complete the turn. During this process, the pilot heard a loud noise and subsequently discovered that the left wing had struck a pole.
The aircraft, registration N4400W, sustained substantial damage to the left-wing rear spar. There were no injuries resulting from the incident.
The investigation
An investigation into the event revealed that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions present in the aircraft prior to the accident that would have prevented normal operation.
Further inquiry into company procedures found that the operator's policy required engines to be shut down on the yellow taxiway centerline before pushing the aircraft into a parking spot. However, interviews with flight crews indicated that flight instructors had been demonstrating incorrect parking methods to students, including the student involved in this accident.