Heavy transport flown pia-day not realizing the #4 cowling had fallen off on the previous leg.

Attributes
ACN	200185
Time
Date	199201
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	200185
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was departing slc-pia then pia-day upon arrival into kday maintenance informed crew #4 engine was missing port and starboard cowling. Apparently found on the ground in slc. Visual inspection of aircraft by myself and first officer at department from slc and aircraft found in good shape. Was unable to leave aircraft in pia due to paperwork and pre-departure preparation. Apparently flight engineers could not see or missed engine cowl missing. No light on that side of ramp in pia plus we did not need any fuel and there was no loading of bellies in pia. Another aspect which really bothered me was our 2+ hour flight to pia did not give authorities or FAA in slc time to inform company or my crew of impending danger. Who knows maybe it was impossible for them to do so. And in closing I also know of our responsibilities as a crew to insure the safety of our flight. I view this as a typical learning experience for myself in my flying career.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HVT FLOWN PIA-DAY NOT REALIZING THE #4 COWLING HAD FALLEN OFF ON THE PREVIOUS LEG.

Narrative: WAS DEPARTING SLC-PIA THEN PIA-DAY UPON ARR INTO KDAY MAINT INFORMED CREW #4 ENG WAS MISSING PORT AND STARBOARD COWLING. APPARENTLY FOUND ON THE GND IN SLC. VISUAL INSPECTION OF ACFT BY MYSELF AND FO AT DEPT FROM SLC AND ACFT FOUND IN GOOD SHAPE. WAS UNABLE TO LEAVE ACFT IN PIA DUE TO PAPERWORK AND PRE-DEP PREPARATION. APPARENTLY FLT ENGINEERS COULD NOT SEE OR MISSED ENG COWL MISSING. NO LIGHT ON THAT SIDE OF RAMP IN PIA PLUS WE DID NOT NEED ANY FUEL AND THERE WAS NO LOADING OF BELLIES IN PIA. ANOTHER ASPECT WHICH REALLY BOTHERED ME WAS OUR 2+ HR FLT TO PIA DID NOT GIVE AUTHORITIES OR FAA IN SLC TIME TO INFORM COMPANY OR MY CREW OF IMPENDING DANGER. WHO KNOWS MAYBE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO DO SO. AND IN CLOSING I ALSO KNOW OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A CREW TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR FLT. I VIEW THIS AS A TYPICAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR MYSELF IN MY FLYING CAREER.

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.