Mdt returns to landing due unfastened engine cowling.

Attributes
ACN	135153
Time
Date	199001
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem tower : day
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 275 flight time total : 4300
ASRS Report	135153
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The aircraft was flown in from fyu by my copilot and myself. After we landed in mem a post-flight was completed. After approximately 35 mins on the ground in memphis we were boarding passenger for our next trip which was mem-tup-gtr. A preflight was performed on the plane prior to passenger boarding and all appeared normal. After both myself and my copilot were strapped in our seats and passenger were aboard, the mechanics came on board asking for the maintenance books and utilization log. The local control-1 or daily inspection must have just been completed. Shortly after takeoff, the first officer noticed his outboard cowling was unlatched. We contacted tower and returned to field immediately. After returning to the ramp area we shut down and examined the outboard cowling. The cowling was not latched and a crack had occurred due to the cowling flapping. No parts were missing and the airplane was returned to airport without any incidents.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MDT RETURNS TO LNDG DUE UNFASTENED ENGINE COWLING.

Narrative: THE ACFT WAS FLOWN IN FROM FYU BY MY COPLT AND MYSELF. AFTER WE LANDED IN MEM A POST-FLT WAS COMPLETED. AFTER APPROX 35 MINS ON THE GND IN MEMPHIS WE WERE BOARDING PAX FOR OUR NEXT TRIP WHICH WAS MEM-TUP-GTR. A PREFLT WAS PERFORMED ON THE PLANE PRIOR TO PAX BOARDING AND ALL APPEARED NORMAL. AFTER BOTH MYSELF AND MY COPLT WERE STRAPPED IN OUR SEATS AND PAX WERE ABOARD, THE MECHANICS CAME ON BOARD ASKING FOR THE MAINT BOOKS AND UTILIZATION LOG. THE LC-1 OR DAILY INSPECTION MUST HAVE JUST BEEN COMPLETED. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, THE F/O NOTICED HIS OUTBOARD COWLING WAS UNLATCHED. WE CONTACTED TWR AND RETURNED TO FIELD IMMEDIATELY. AFTER RETURNING TO THE RAMP AREA WE SHUT DOWN AND EXAMINED THE OUTBOARD COWLING. THE COWLING WAS NOT LATCHED AND A CRACK HAD OCCURRED DUE TO THE COWLING FLAPPING. NO PARTS WERE MISSING AND THE AIRPLANE WAS RETURNED TO ARPT WITHOUT ANY INCIDENTS.

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