Accident Piper PA-28R-180 N3953T, Tuesday 14 July 2009

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Date:	Tuesday 14 July 2009
Time:	06:30 LT
Type:	Piper PA-28R-180
Owner/operator:	New Mexico Flying Eagle Inc.
Registration:	N3953T
MSN:	28R-30296
Total airframe hrs:	6100 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming IO-360 SER
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Tucson, Arizona - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Tucson International Airport, AZ (TUS/KTUS)
Destination airport:	Tucson International Airport, AZ (TUS/KTUS)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot reported that prior to the flight he checked the weather, and preflighted the airplane. The pilot and a certified flight instructor (CFI) took off and conducted a series of practice flight maneuvers for his commercial pilot's license. After completing the maneuvers, the pilot and CFI returned to the airport to practice five landings then taxi the airplane to the parking area. After parking the airplane, a crack was observed on the wing above the right landing gear aft mount. Further examination of the airframe revealed the upper right wing and right main landing gear attachment point were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane's airframe or engine prior to the incident.

Probable Cause: A hard landing or abnormal runway contact by one or both pilots.

Accident investigation: