FBO helicopter lost an engine cowl after takeoff and had to make an off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	188632
Time
Date	199109
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 1300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 58 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 352
ASRS Report	188632
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
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:

During preflight, I removed the right engine cowling in order to loosen the engine ejector duct (exhaust) clamp as it was in contact with the #2 and 3 bearing oil pressure line, and rotated the clamp a few degrees. (I hold an a and P certificate also). I replaced the cowling and latched the top dzus fasteners but failed to latch the lower fasteners. After takeoff, climb out and the start of cruise flight, the right engine cowling came off the aircraft, striking the bottom of the 4 main rotor blades, then fell into the ohio river. I proceeded to make an uneventful precautionary landing in a field next to the river. Other than a slight vibration when the cowling departed the aircraft, there was no adverse control problems what so ever. I readily admit that this incident occurred because I failed to complete an adequate preflight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FBO HELI LOST AN ENG COWL AFTER TKOF AND HAD TO MAKE AN OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT, I REMOVED THE R ENG COWLING IN ORDER TO LOOSEN THE ENG EJECTOR DUCT (EXHAUST) CLAMP AS IT WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE #2 AND 3 BEARING OIL PRESSURE LINE, AND ROTATED THE CLAMP A FEW DEGS. (I HOLD AN A AND P CERTIFICATE ALSO). I REPLACED THE COWLING AND LATCHED THE TOP DZUS FASTENERS BUT FAILED TO LATCH THE LOWER FASTENERS. AFTER TKOF, CLB OUT AND THE START OF CRUISE FLT, THE R ENG COWLING CAME OFF THE ACFT, STRIKING THE BOTTOM OF THE 4 MAIN ROTOR BLADES, THEN FELL INTO THE OHIO RIVER. I PROCEEDED TO MAKE AN UNEVENTFUL PRECAUTIONARY LNDG IN A FIELD NEXT TO THE RIVER. OTHER THAN A SLIGHT VIBRATION WHEN THE COWLING DEPARTED THE ACFT, THERE WAS NO ADVERSE CTL PROBLEMS WHAT SO EVER. I READILY ADMIT THAT THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE I FAILED TO COMPLETE AN ADEQUATE PREFLT.

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.