Air taxi has zeus screws come loose on cowling at takeoff. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	186610
Time
Date	199108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem tower : mem
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	186610
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While taxiing for takeoff just prior to the before takeoff checklist the flight attendant came to the cockpit and said, ' passenger says a fastener on the left cowling is loose'. From the cockpit I could clearly see that both cowl fasteners were latched and secure, however, after scanning the entire cowling I could see 1 zeus fastener which appeared worn or maybe loose. Since it was only 1, and would not effect the safety of the flight, I elected to continue and told the flight attendant so (the entire crew agreed). After takeoff, during climb out (we had performed a maximum power takeoff, 1 in 6 days required) I again looked back at the cowling and saw another zeus fastener which worked its way loose (possibly from the vibration operating the maximum power takeoff). At this point, although the cowling was still secured and in no danger of coming loose we elected to return to the gate in order to verify that no others had worked their way loose. Landing and taxi in were uneventful. After mechanic read discrepancy log, he inspected the cowl and put the screw driver on 4 zeus fasteners. Whether all 4 were loose, or whether he was checking the 1 on each side of the loose (or worn) zeus fastener I am not sure of. Nonetheless the cowling was not unsecured nor in danger of becoming unsecured at any point. Aircraft was returned to service (fasteners tightened, new release, WX, etc) in 8 mins and we then flew the trip uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI HAS ZEUS SCREWS COME LOOSE ON COWLING AT TKOF. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING FOR TKOF JUST PRIOR TO THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST THE FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO THE COCKPIT AND SAID, ' PAX SAYS A FASTENER ON THE L COWLING IS LOOSE'. FROM THE COCKPIT I COULD CLRLY SEE THAT BOTH COWL FASTENERS WERE LATCHED AND SECURE, HOWEVER, AFTER SCANNING THE ENTIRE COWLING I COULD SEE 1 ZEUS FASTENER WHICH APPEARED WORN OR MAYBE LOOSE. SINCE IT WAS ONLY 1, AND WOULD NOT EFFECT THE SAFETY OF THE FLT, I ELECTED TO CONTINUE AND TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANT SO (THE ENTIRE CREW AGREED). AFTER TKOF, DURING CLBOUT (WE HAD PERFORMED A MAX PWR TKOF, 1 IN 6 DAYS REQUIRED) I AGAIN LOOKED BACK AT THE COWLING AND SAW ANOTHER ZEUS FASTENER WHICH WORKED ITS WAY LOOSE (POSSIBLY FROM THE VIBRATION OPERATING THE MAX PWR TKOF). AT THIS POINT, ALTHOUGH THE COWLING WAS STILL SECURED AND IN NO DANGER OF COMING LOOSE WE ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE GATE IN ORDER TO VERIFY THAT NO OTHERS HAD WORKED THEIR WAY LOOSE. LNDG AND TAXI IN WERE UNEVENTFUL. AFTER MECH READ DISCREPANCY LOG, HE INSPECTED THE COWL AND PUT THE SCREW DRIVER ON 4 ZEUS FASTENERS. WHETHER ALL 4 WERE LOOSE, OR WHETHER HE WAS CHKING THE 1 ON EACH SIDE OF THE LOOSE (OR WORN) ZEUS FASTENER I AM NOT SURE OF. NONETHELESS THE COWLING WAS NOT UNSECURED NOR IN DANGER OF BECOMING UNSECURED AT ANY POINT. ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC (FASTENERS TIGHTENED, NEW RELEASE, WX, ETC) IN 8 MINS AND WE THEN FLEW THE TRIP UNEVENTFULLY.

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.