Emergency declared after small aircraft cowling appears to be loose on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	279943
Time
Date	199408
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sna
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 105 flight time total : 1360 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	279943
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had been cleared for takeoff on runway 19L at intersection 'K.' the runway is 2887 ft long. At 'kilo' I had approximately 2550 ft left for takeoff. Takeoff roll was normal and I rotated at about 70 KIAS. Just after rotation I noticed my engine cowling, a one-piece fiberglass unit covering the entire top half of the nose section, lifting away from the aircraft. As my airspeed increased so did the separation of the engine cowling. I immediately throttled back and added full flaps to maintain airspeed above stall. With insufficient runway remaining I continued a very shallow climb and declared an emergency due to a loose engine cowling. The tower cleared me to 'land any runway.' I made a slow teardrop turn back to the airport at minimum ctlable airspeed and landed without further incident on runway I left. The winds were 180 degrees at 9 KTS. After landing I discovered the 2 right cowling fasteners were loose, one would not fasten. There was no damage to the aircraft or anything on the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER DECLARED AFTER SMA COWLING APPEARS TO BE LOOSE ON TKOF.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 19L AT INTXN 'K.' THE RWY IS 2887 FT LONG. AT 'KILO' I HAD APPROX 2550 FT LEFT FOR TKOF. TKOF ROLL WAS NORMAL AND I ROTATED AT ABOUT 70 KIAS. JUST AFTER ROTATION I NOTICED MY ENG COWLING, A ONE-PIECE FIBERGLASS UNIT COVERING THE ENTIRE TOP HALF OF THE NOSE SECTION, LIFTING AWAY FROM THE ACFT. AS MY AIRSPD INCREASED SO DID THE SEPARATION OF THE ENG COWLING. I IMMEDIATELY THROTTLED BACK AND ADDED FULL FLAPS TO MAINTAIN AIRSPD ABOVE STALL. WITH INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING I CONTINUED A VERY SHALLOW CLB AND DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO A LOOSE ENG COWLING. THE TWR CLRED ME TO 'LAND ANY RWY.' I MADE A SLOW TEARDROP TURN BACK TO THE ARPT AT MINIMUM CTLABLE AIRSPD AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT ON RWY I LEFT. THE WINDS WERE 180 DEGS AT 9 KTS. AFTER LNDG I DISCOVERED THE 2 R COWLING FASTENERS WERE LOOSE, ONE WOULD NOT FASTEN. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR ANYTHING ON THE GND.

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.