PA28 STUDENT PLT IS CONVINCED TO ALLOW GND PERSONNEL AT FBO TO REPOSITION AND PARK HIS ACFT WITH A TOWING VEHICLE. SUBSEQUENT RUDDER CONTROL ANOMALIES CAUSE REPORTER TO SUSPECT THEY DAMAGED THE ACFT WHILE DOING SO.

Narrative

AS SOON AS I ARRIVED AT THE PARKING AREA IN FRONT OF THE GA TERMINAL; A MARSHALLER WAS WAITING FOR ME TO GIVE ME PARKING INSTRUCTIONS BY HAND SIGNALS. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE HAND SIGNALS HE WAS GIVING ME; SO I STOPPED AND TRIED TO MAKE THIS CLR TO HIM. THE MARSHALLER SAW THIS AND TRIED TO GIVE ME OTHER SIGNALS; BUT I STILL PARKED THE AIRPLANE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. SO; I DECIDED TO SHUT DOWN THE ENG AND TO PUSH IT IN POS MYSELF WITH THE TOWING BAR. AS SOON AS I CAME OUT OF THE AIRPLANE; THE MARSHALLER TOLD ME A TOWING VEHICLE WAS ON ITS WAY TO TURN IT AROUND. I TOLD HIM THIS WAS NOT NECESSARY AND THAT I COULD PUSH THE AIRPLANE IN POS MYSELF. BUT THE MARSHALLER INSISTED AND TOLD ME AGAIN A TOWING VEHICLE WAS ALREADY ON ITS WAY TO THE AIRPLANE; SO I AGREED TO USE THE VEHICLE. AFTER THEY CONNECTED THE TOWING VEHICLE TO THE NOSEWHEEL OF THE AIRPLANE BY A TOWING BAR; THE TOWING VEHICLE STARTED TO PUSH THE AIRPLANE AROUND. AS THE TOWING VEHICLE PUSHED THE AIRPLANE IT MADE A PRETTY SHARP TURN. AT A GIVEN MOMENT; I HEARD A SORT OF SNAPPING SOUND OF WHICH I THOUGHT IT WAS COMING FROM THE TORQUE LINK ON THE NOSEWHEEL. AT THIS SAME MOMENT; THE TOWING VEHICLE STOPPED PUSHING AND BEGAN PULLING TO GET THE AIRPLANE IN POS. DUE TO THE SOUND; I GOT SUSPICIOUS AND INSPECTED THE TORQUE LINK AND THE STEERING MECHANISM FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE COWLING. I COULDN'T DETECT ANY BENDS; CRACKS OR OTHER DAMAGE. THEN I WALKED TO THE GA TERMINAL TO GET A CUP OF COFFEE. WHEN I CAME BACK AFTER APPROX 15 MINS; I REMOVED THE BLOCKS AND DID A SHORT CHK ON THE FUEL AND OIL CONTENTS. AFTER THAT TOOK PLACE; AND THE AIRPLANE ENG WAS STARTED; DID THE RUN-UP AND MADE IT READY TO TAXI TO THE RWY. AS SOON AS I HAD A TAXI CLRNC; AND WHEN I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE RWY; I MADE SOME SHARP S-TURNS ON THE TXWY AS A FINAL CHK TO MAKE SURE THE STEERING GEAR WAS OK. EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL; SO I CONTINUED MY TAXI. EVEN AFTER TKOF; I DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL; SO I CONTINUED FOR TOUCH-AND-GOES. SOME OF THE TOUCH-AND-GOES DIDN'T GO REALLY SMOOTHLY; I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY TO DE-CRAB. AFTER I FINISHED MY TOUCH-AND-GOES; I ASKED FOR PERMISSION TO DEPART TO THE NE. WHEN I WAS ON MY WAY TO ZZZ1; NOTICED THAT I HAD TO GIVE A LOT OF L RUDDER TO FLY COORD IN A STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLT. SO I TURNED THE RUDDER TRIM CONSIDERABLY TO THE L TO COMPENSATE FOR IT. BUT I DIDN'T USE THE RUDDER TRIM ON MY WAY. IT WAS THIS MOMENT I REALIZED THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY RUDDER. BUT THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL CONTROLLABLE. I ALREADY MADE 8 LNDGS AND SEVERAL GARS WITH IT AT ZZZ. AS SOON AS I HAD LANDED AT ZZZ1; I TAXIED TO THE RAMP WHERE I PARKED AND INSPECTED THE RUDDER. I DETECTED THAT THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE PLAY IN THE RUDDER ITSELF. PREVENTION: PREFLT THE AIRPLANE THOROUGHLY BTWN 2 FLTS. DON'T PUSH/TOW A PIPER ARCHER WITH A TOWING VEHICLE. IF YOU ARE SUSPICIOUS ABOUT SOMETHING; DON'T FLY! LET A MECH CHK IT FIRST BEFORE YOU GO. LEARN/KNOW THE PARKING SIGNS.