20020609021509A

(.19) On June 9, 2002, at 1500 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N56136, operated by berz flying service, inc., as a rental airplane, returned from a local flight with substantial damage resulting from a crack through its vertical stabilizer spar. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the flight. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The private rated rental pilot was uninjured. The local flight originated from the berz-Macomb airport (uiz), Macomb, Michigan, at 1400. The 1973 airplane, serial number 28-7305538, was used throughout its service life as a rental/flight training airplane. The airplane and vertical stabilizer accumulated a total time of 14,155 hours. According to maintenance personnel, the crack was not present during the airplane s last annual inspection, which was performed 10 hours before the flight. The crack is located approximately 6 inches above the base of the vertical stabilizer and extends horizontally approximately 1 1/2 inches from the right side of the stabilizer into the 3 1/2 inch spar. Another Piper PA-28-180, N16319, serial number 28-7305224, operated by berz flying service, inc., returned from a local flight with a similar crack through its vertical stabilizer.