Air carrier large transport lost fiberglass skin on top of wing during descent.

Attributes
ACN	101462
Time
Date	198901
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 30000 msl bound upper : 30000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 95 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 95
ASRS Report	101462
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Piece of fiberglass skin on top of left wing root above left gear wheelwell came off in flight. Piece was approximately 4' by 6'. Passengers notified F/a who then notified us. Only a small `jolt' followed by a very light airframe vibration was felt from the cockpit. Air was smooth and speed not excessive (approximately mmo-15), autoplt was in VNAV mode. Normal schedule, landing at kcvg with no control problems at vref 30+15. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. When aircraft slowed for approach speeds did get some vibration and slight roll tendency. Section tore loose from rivets on spar and apparently peeled back and broke some hydraulic lines which were apparently return lines as very little fluid was lost. As far as reporter knows piece that tore loose has not been found yet. FAA has not contacted flight crew as company is handling the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT LOST FIBERGLASS SKIN ON TOP OF WING DURING DESCENT.

Narrative: PIECE OF FIBERGLASS SKIN ON TOP OF L WING ROOT ABOVE L GEAR WHEELWELL CAME OFF IN FLT. PIECE WAS APPROX 4' BY 6'. PAXS NOTIFIED F/A WHO THEN NOTIFIED US. ONLY A SMALL `JOLT' FOLLOWED BY A VERY LIGHT AIRFRAME VIBRATION WAS FELT FROM THE COCKPIT. AIR WAS SMOOTH AND SPD NOT EXCESSIVE (APPROX MMO-15), AUTOPLT WAS IN VNAV MODE. NORMAL SCHEDULE, LNDG AT KCVG WITH NO CONTROL PROBS AT VREF 30+15. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. WHEN ACFT SLOWED FOR APCH SPDS DID GET SOME VIBRATION AND SLIGHT ROLL TENDENCY. SECTION TORE LOOSE FROM RIVETS ON SPAR AND APPARENTLY PEELED BACK AND BROKE SOME HYD LINES WHICH WERE APPARENTLY RETURN LINES AS VERY LITTLE FLUID WAS LOST. AS FAR AS RPTR KNOWS PIECE THAT TORE LOOSE HAS NOT BEEN FOUND YET. FAA HAS NOT CONTACTED FLT CREW AS COMPANY IS HANDLING THE INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.