Piper Aircraft Inc PA 28 N4400W accident near Tucson, Arizona

Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a stationary pole while parking.

NTSB analysis

The student pilot reported that, while taxiing to park, he aligned the airplane with the parking spot, added power to make the turn, and then heard a "boom." He shut the engine down and examined the airplane and found that the left wing had hit a pole.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing rear spar.

The flight safety officer for the operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The safety officer further reported that the company policy was to shut down the airplane on the yellow taxiway centerline before pushing the airplane back into the parking spot. He added that, after interviewing other flight crews, he learned that flight instructors had been demonstrating incorrect parking methods to students, including the student who taxied into the pole.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA18CA208 for the full record.