What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On dec 20, 2006, N4666J, a 1968 PA-28R-180, was being rented by a local flight school because their PA-28R was in for repairs. The owner had his CFI(1), checkout the renter flight school CFI(2). Both cfi's give conflicting stories on who completed a preflight inspection. CFI(2) then took the aircraft with his commercial student on an IFR flight to santa monica and return. Upon return the owner observed and discovered 'popped' rivets on both upper wing surfaces indicating a "hard" landing. Further inspection resulted in findings of "substantial damage" to the wing box structure of both wings as well as damage to various other locations I.e. bent engine mount and wrinkling in the aft fuselage. (-23 amendment) investigation and the interview of all four (4) rental pilots of the aircraft back to 12/9/2007 revealed no disclosures. Therefore, no 'positive' proof is available of when the actual damage occurred, and with whom, as PIC.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DEC 20, 2006, N4666J, A 1968 PA-28R-180, WAS BEING RENTED BY A LOCAL FLIGHT SCHOOL BECAUSE THEIR PA-28R WAS IN FOR REPAIRS. THE OWNER HAD HIS CFI(1), CHECKOUT THE RENTER FLIGHT SCHOOL CFI(2). BOTH CFI'S GIVE CONFLICTING STORIES ON WHO COMPLETED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. CFI(2) THEN TOOK THE AIRCRAFT WITH HIS COMMERCIAL STUDENT ON AN IFR FLIGHT TO SANTA MONICA AND RETURN. UPON RETURN THE OWNER OBSERVED AND DISCOVERED 'POPPED' RIVETS ON BOTH UPPER WING SURFACES INDICATING A "HARD" LANDING. FURTHER INSPECTION RESULTED IN FINDINGS OF "SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE" TO THE WING BOX STRUCTURE OF BOTH WINGS AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO VARIOUS OTHER LOCATIONS I.E. BENT ENGINE MOUNT AND WRINKLING IN THE AFT FUSELAGE. (-23 AMENDMENT) INVESTIGATION AND THE INTERVIEW OF ALL FOUR (4) RENTAL PILOTS OF THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO 12/9/2007 REVEALED NO DISCLOSURES. THEREFORE, NO 'POSITIVE' PROOF IS AVAILABLE OF WHEN THE ACTUAL DAMAGE OCCURRED, AND WITH WHOM, AS PIC.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4666J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.