RIGHT SIDE OF COWLING ON PA28 DEPARTS ACFT; BREAKS WINDSHIELD AND STRIKES STABILATOR; EMBEDDING ITSELF THEREIN. REPORTERS DIFFER ON RESPONSIBLE PARTY.

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PIPER ARROW WAS LOCATED AT PUT IN BAY WITH INOP STARTER BENDIX DRIVE. A FLT INSTRUCTOR AND I FLEW UP IN A C172RG TO RECOVER THE ACFT. UPON ARR; I NOTED THAT R SIDE OF THE ACFT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. TIRES INFLATED; COWLING LATCHED; ETC. I RETRIEVED AN AEROSOL CAN OF CLEANER FROM THE CARGO AREA OF THE C172 AND SPRAYED STARTER BENDIX. THE INSTRUCTOR THEN 'BUMPED' THE STARTER OVER AND IT ENGAGED WITH THE DRIVE GEAR. HE THEN EXITED THE ACFT AND WENT TO THE FBO. I CHKED THE L SIDE OF THE COWLING AND THE TIRES; VERIFIED THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ONBOARD; AND RETRIEVED MY HEADSET FROM THE C172. I ENTERED THE ARROW; STARTED THE ENG; AND TAXIED FOR TKOF. ENG RUN-UP WAS GOOD AND I DEPARTED THE ARPT. AFTER CLBING TO APPROX 1500 FT AGL; I BEGAN A L-HAND CIRCUIT OF THE ISLAND. I HAD COMPLETED THE CIRCUIT AND WAS NBOUND NEXT TO THE ARPT WHEN THE TOP COWLING SEEMED TO LIFT ON THE R SIDE. THE R HALF TORE AWAY; SHATTERED THE R WINDSHIELD; AND CRACKED THE L SIDE. I REDUCED PWR; TURNED TOWARD THE ARPT; AND CALLED THE INSTRUCTOR; WHO HAD DEPARTED BEHIND ME. LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. DISCUSSION WITH INSTRUCTOR REVEALED THAT HE HAD UNLATCHED THE R SIDE OF THE COWLING WHILE I WENT TO THE CARGO AREA OF THE C172. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 747267: I FERRIED A MECH WHO ALSO HOLDS A PLT'S CERTIFICATE TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE THE NEED FOR REPAIRS TO A PA28-200R. I OBSERVED THE PA28 START AND TAXI TO THE RWY AHEAD OF ME WHERE HE TOOK OFF FIRST. AFTER HE TOOK OFF; HE ADVISED THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO THE ARPT. I RETURNED AND SAW THAT THE COWLING WAS MISSING; THE WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN ON THE PAX SIDE AND THAT A PORTION OF THE COWLING WAS EMBEDDED IN THE R HORIZ STABILIZER. I BELIEVE THAT THE PLT OF THE ARROW FAILED TO CONDUCT AN ADEQUATE PREFLT CONSIDERING THAT THE ACFT HAD REPORTEDLY FAILED TO START AND HAD BEEN UNATTENDED OVERNIGHT.