IAD04LA041

While the pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings in the recently-purchased airplane, he performed one landing that was "a pretty good jolt," but "not extraordinary." Following the flight, the pilot noticed damage to the left wing's upper skin. Further examination revealed that a portion of the left wing rib cap was fractured, and that there were two sets of double-drilled, overlapping rivet holes that matched up with holes partially drilled into a false spar. The false spar was covered with a green (preservative) paint, while the partially-drilled holes were not. The rib cap fracture surface exhibited fatigue cracking that did not extend into the overlapping rivet holes. A review of the airplane's maintenance logs revealed no evidence of repair to the affected area. The airplane, which was manufactured in 1971, had 5,529 hours of operating time.

On August 20, 2004, at 1730 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-180, N2330T, was substantially damaged while landing at London-Corbin Airport (LOZ), London, Kentucky. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight, conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

During a telephone interview, the pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to practice takeoffs and landings in the recently-purchased airplane. He described his second landing as a "pretty good jolt," but "not extraordinary."

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, during a post-flight inspection, the pilot noticed some wrinkles and a crack on the upper skin of the airplane's left wing. He decided to take the airplane to a maintenance facility to have an annual inspection performed, and to have the damage repaired. Maintenance facility personnel informed the pilot that they could not perform the types of repairs necessary, so the pilot requested a special airworthiness (ferry) permit from the FAA to fly the airplane to another facility. When FAA inspectors examined the airplane, they determined that the damage was substantial, and that a special airworthiness permit could not be issued.

A further examination of the left wing revealed that the rivets attaching a false spar to a rib, outboard the wheel well, at station 69.24, were sheared, and that the rib cap was separated at the false spar attachment point. There were also some double-drilled, overlapping rivet holes present, that matched up with holes partially drilled into the false spar.

A photograph of the affected area revealed that two holes in the false spar, as well as numerous rivets in the area, were covered with a green (preservative) paint; however, the partially drilled holes in the false spar were not.

The separated rib cap piece was forwarded to the Safety Board Materials Laboratory. There, a visual examination confirmed two sets of overlapping rivet holes, and a "wavy" surface area between the holes. In addition, the fracture surface, which did not include the overlapping holes, exhibited fatigue cracking.

A review of the airplane's maintenance logs did not reveal any repairs having been performed on the affected area. The airplane, which was manufactured in 1971, had 5,529 hours of operating time.