<< >> NASA ASRS Report 115559, June 1989

Flight crew of rotary wing aircraft experienced repeated shuddering of the aircraft after takeoff, returned and landed, found loose cowling.

Attributes
ACN	115559
Time
Date	198906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bte
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : teb
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 85
ASRS Report	115559
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After having a mechanic tow the aircraft out, wash the windows and prepare it for flight, I did a quick walk around and pulled the landing gear pins and chocks. I started both engines and taxied out to take off. After clearance from the tower and while climbing out at 60 KTS at about 400' AGL, the aircraft shuddered or shook one time for about 10 seconds. Later did it again. I called the tower and told them I was returning and did not need assistance. On the final approach the aircraft shook again. After landing I found the engine cowling had come open and slid all the way back. The type latches used on the cowling can be closed and not be latched giving the impression that it is secure. Assuming that someone else had checked the aircraft after maintenance and not closely looking at it personally nearly ruined my day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF ROTARY WING ACFT EXPERIENCED REPEATED SHUDDERING OF THE ACFT AFTER TKOF, RETURNED AND LANDED, FOUND LOOSE COWLING.

Narrative: AFTER HAVING A MECHANIC TOW THE ACFT OUT, WASH THE WINDOWS AND PREPARE IT FOR FLT, I DID A QUICK WALK AROUND AND PULLED THE LNDG GEAR PINS AND CHOCKS. I STARTED BOTH ENGINES AND TAXIED OUT TO TAKE OFF. AFTER CLRNC FROM THE TWR AND WHILE CLIMBING OUT AT 60 KTS AT ABOUT 400' AGL, THE ACFT SHUDDERED OR SHOOK ONE TIME FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. LATER DID IT AGAIN. I CALLED THE TWR AND TOLD THEM I WAS RETURNING AND DID NOT NEED ASSISTANCE. ON THE FINAL APCH THE ACFT SHOOK AGAIN. AFTER LNDG I FOUND THE ENGINE COWLING HAD COME OPEN AND SLID ALL THE WAY BACK. THE TYPE LATCHES USED ON THE COWLING CAN BE CLOSED AND NOT BE LATCHED GIVING THE IMPRESSION THAT IT IS SECURE. ASSUMING THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAD CHECKED THE ACFT AFTER MAINT AND NOT CLOSELY LOOKING AT IT PERSONALLY NEARLY RUINED MY DAY.

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.