Pilot of PA28-180 performing preflight inspection misses a dent in the leading edge of the aircraft ...

Attributes
ACN	385951
Time
Date	199711
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fdk
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1073 flight time type : 895
ASRS Report	385951
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft is based in a t-hangar at leesburg, va (jyo). Aircraft was at frederick, md (fdk), for annual inspection and certain maintenance, and had been tied down on ramp for 7-10 days when I went to fdk to pick it up. I performed usual preflight inspection but, several mins after takeoff, noticed a softball-sized dent in the leading edge of the left wing near the tip. Subsequently landed at fdk and, upon inspection, it appeared the damage was most likely from an aircraft or ground vehicle having struck the wing while the aircraft was tied down at fdk. Although the aircraft performed normally in-flight, it is certainly questionable whether it was airworthy with the above damage to the airframe. Thus, my inadequate preflight inspection may have resulted in operation of an unairworthy aircraft. In retrospect, I think I may have developed a complacency as to looking for airframe damage due to basing the aircraft in a t-hangar for 10+ yrs. Moral of the story: the price of safety is eternal vigilance. I will try to apply this to my preflight inspections in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PA28-180 PERFORMING PREFLT INSPECTION MISSES A DENT IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE ACFT AFTER IT HAS BEEN TIED DOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

Narrative: ACFT IS BASED IN A T-HANGAR AT LEESBURG, VA (JYO). ACFT WAS AT FREDERICK, MD (FDK), FOR ANNUAL INSPECTION AND CERTAIN MAINT, AND HAD BEEN TIED DOWN ON RAMP FOR 7-10 DAYS WHEN I WENT TO FDK TO PICK IT UP. I PERFORMED USUAL PREFLT INSPECTION BUT, SEVERAL MINS AFTER TKOF, NOTICED A SOFTBALL-SIZED DENT IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE L WING NEAR THE TIP. SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED AT FDK AND, UPON INSPECTION, IT APPEARED THE DAMAGE WAS MOST LIKELY FROM AN ACFT OR GND VEHICLE HAVING STRUCK THE WING WHILE THE ACFT WAS TIED DOWN AT FDK. ALTHOUGH THE ACFT PERFORMED NORMALLY INFLT, IT IS CERTAINLY QUESTIONABLE WHETHER IT WAS AIRWORTHY WITH THE ABOVE DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME. THUS, MY INADEQUATE PREFLT INSPECTION MAY HAVE RESULTED IN OP OF AN UNAIRWORTHY ACFT. IN RETROSPECT, I THINK I MAY HAVE DEVELOPED A COMPLACENCY AS TO LOOKING FOR AIRFRAME DAMAGE DUE TO BASING THE ACFT IN A T-HANGAR FOR 10+ YRS. MORAL OF THE STORY: THE PRICE OF SAFETY IS ETERNAL VIGILANCE. I WILL TRY TO APPLY THIS TO MY PREFLT INSPECTIONS IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.

Pilot of PA28-180 performing preflight inspection misses a dent in the leading edge of the aircraft after it has been tied down for several days.