A C172 instructor reported finding rudder damage after a pattern flight with his student. The aircra...

Attributes
ACN	907271
Time
Date	201009
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	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Parked
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Rudder
Person 1
Function	Instructor
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50 Flight Crew Total 700 Flight Crew Type 70
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural FAR Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

The incident occurred after student preflighted the aircraft for a pattern flight. As the student inspected the tail of the aircraft I checked the gear and front of the aircraft. The student did not notice a large dent on the top of the rudder. I did not walk around the rear of the aircraft and did not see the dent myself. The dent had occurred the previous night when the aircraft had collided with the side of the hanger. Line service personnel had dented the rudder while taxiing the airplane into the hangar. This incident had not been reported by the line service employee and airport operations were unaware of the damage. We completed a flight in the pattern and did notice the rudder control had been slightly compromised as a result of the damage. It was discovered later that this aircraft has flown a total of four times with this damage. I believe this could have been avoided if the student and I had utilized a more comprehensive preflight inspection. This will be a learning experience for me. This particular situation has reminded me to never assume anything and to always double check my student's preflight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 Instructor reported finding rudder damage after a pattern flight with his student. The aircraft had been damaged by maintenance personnel taxiing into a hangar and subsequently flown four times with this damage.

Narrative: The incident occurred after student preflighted the aircraft for a pattern flight. As the student inspected the tail of the aircraft I checked the gear and front of the aircraft. The student did not notice a large dent on the top of the rudder. I did not walk around the rear of the aircraft and did not see the dent myself. The dent had occurred the previous night when the aircraft had collided with the side of the hanger. Line service personnel had dented the rudder while taxiing the airplane into the hangar. This incident had not been reported by the line service employee and airport operations were unaware of the damage. We completed a flight in the pattern and did notice the rudder control had been slightly compromised as a result of the damage. It was discovered later that this aircraft has flown a total of four times with this damage. I believe this could have been avoided if the student and I had utilized a more comprehensive preflight inspection. This will be a learning experience for me. This particular situation has reminded me to never assume anything and to always double check my student's preflight.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

A C172 instructor reported finding rudder damage after a pattern flight with his student. The aircraft had been damaged by maintenance personnel taxiing into a hangar and subsequently flown four times with this damage.