A single pilot reports noticing a 5-1/2 inch tear on top of the right wing with several rivets missi...

Narrative:

Aircraft was on midfield left downwind for runway 17C; setting up for landing configuration. Aircraft was at traffic pattern altitude (1;600 ft) and at an IAS of 105 KTS. Upon lowering the landing gear; the nose gear and right main did not lock. Pilot recycled the gear and got three green [lights]. Aircraft was below gear down speed of 130 KTS. Upon reaching abeam the numbers the first notch of flaps came in and aircraft slowed to 86 KTS and turned base while the second notch of flaps came in. Aircraft then turned final and put it full flaps and prop to forward and slowed to final approach speed of 78 KTS and landed soft with no hard landing on 17C. Aircraft then taxied to FBO and shut down. Upon exiting; the aircraft the pilot then noticed on the right wing above the landing gear a 5-1/2 inch tear on the top of the wing; along with several rivets missing. Pilot looked underneath aircraft and noticed sunlight coming through the wheelwell. Pilot decided aircraft was unairworthy and left plane at FBO. Mechanic came to the conclusion that the damage was due to several hard landings in previous flights.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A single pilot reports noticing a 5-1/2 inch tear on top of the right wing with several rivets missing above the right Main Landing Gear (MLG) on a PA-28R180 aircraft.

Narrative: Aircraft was on midfield left downwind for Runway 17C; setting up for landing configuration. Aircraft was at traffic pattern altitude (1;600 FT) and at an IAS of 105 KTS. Upon lowering the landing gear; the nose gear and right main did not lock. Pilot recycled the gear and got three green [lights]. Aircraft was below gear down speed of 130 KTS. Upon reaching abeam the numbers the first notch of flaps came in and aircraft slowed to 86 KTS and turned base while the second notch of flaps came in. Aircraft then turned final and put it full flaps and prop to forward and slowed to final approach speed of 78 KTS and landed soft with no hard landing on 17C. Aircraft then taxied to FBO and shut down. Upon exiting; the aircraft the pilot then noticed on the right wing above the landing gear a 5-1/2 inch tear on the top of the wing; along with several rivets missing. Pilot looked underneath aircraft and noticed sunlight coming through the wheelwell. Pilot decided aircraft was unairworthy and left plane at FBO. Mechanic came to the conclusion that the damage was due to several hard landings in previous flights.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	1028250
Time
Date	201208
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-28R Cherokee Arrow All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Parked
Flight Plan	VFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Main Gear
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30 Flight Crew Total 500 Flight Crew Type 35
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

A single pilot reports noticing a 5-1/2 inch tear on top of the right wing with several rivets missing above the right main landing gear (medium large transport) on a PA-28r180 aircraft.