Right outboard cowling came open on takeoff roll.

Attributes
ACN	185003
Time
Date	199107
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	185003
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	184791
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During takeoff roll, right outboard cowling opened. Once airborne, aircraft on ground informed us of cowling. We declared an emergency and returned to field. No other problems. Better cowling latching system might help solve this problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: maintenance hold was in effect and the first officer had gone to make a long distance phone call. The captain made the walk around inspection. Maintenance later admitted after an oil change he may have failed to properly latch the cowling. FAA is still investigating.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: R OUTBOARD COWLING CAME OPEN ON TKOF ROLL.

Narrative: DURING TKOF ROLL, R OUTBOARD COWLING OPENED. ONCE AIRBORNE, ACFT ON GND INFORMED US OF COWLING. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO FIELD. NO OTHER PROBLEMS. BETTER COWLING LATCHING SYS MIGHT HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: MAINT HOLD WAS IN EFFECT AND THE FO HAD GONE TO MAKE A LONG DISTANCE PHONE CALL. THE CAPT MADE THE WALK AROUND INSPECTION. MAINT LATER ADMITTED AFTER AN OIL CHANGE HE MAY HAVE FAILED TO PROPERLY LATCH THE COWLING. FAA IS STILL INVESTIGATING.

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.