An air carrier heavy dropped part of its engine cowling onto the runway at takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	286777
Time
Date	199410
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea
State Reference	WA
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	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	286777
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The night before maintenance repaired a thrust reverser on #4 engine. On takeoff the aft outboard cowl came off. No indications in the aircraft. Flight was from seattle to anchorage, and the flight was normal. On postflt, we found the cowl missing. I immediately called the company, and they already knew. Apparently, someone found it by the runway in seattle. We were never notified by ATC or the company. I filled out an incident report, a company captain's report and a company safety report. The company is still investigating how it came off, when it was found, by whom, and why we were not notified. Luckily, the cowl did not hit the wing or flap, and no damage was involved except to the cowl. The mechanic involved was given a week off without pay. The flight engineer was given a line check, (although nothing was found on preflight -- and he did one). Seattle tower at first said I had been contacted, which I wasn't, but refused to pull the tapes. The company is still investigating that also.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR HVY DROPPED PART OF ITS ENG COWLING ONTO THE RWY AT TKOF.

Narrative: THE NIGHT BEFORE MAINT REPAIRED A THRUST REVERSER ON #4 ENG. ON TKOF THE AFT OUTBOARD COWL CAME OFF. NO INDICATIONS IN THE ACFT. FLT WAS FROM SEATTLE TO ANCHORAGE, AND THE FLT WAS NORMAL. ON POSTFLT, WE FOUND THE COWL MISSING. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE COMPANY, AND THEY ALREADY KNEW. APPARENTLY, SOMEONE FOUND IT BY THE RWY IN SEATTLE. WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED BY ATC OR THE COMPANY. I FILLED OUT AN INCIDENT RPT, A COMPANY CAPT'S RPT AND A COMPANY SAFETY RPT. THE COMPANY IS STILL INVESTIGATING HOW IT CAME OFF, WHEN IT WAS FOUND, BY WHOM, AND WHY WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED. LUCKILY, THE COWL DID NOT HIT THE WING OR FLAP, AND NO DAMAGE WAS INVOLVED EXCEPT TO THE COWL. THE MECH INVOLVED WAS GIVEN A WK OFF WITHOUT PAY. THE FE WAS GIVEN A LINE CHK, (ALTHOUGH NOTHING WAS FOUND ON PREFLT -- AND HE DID ONE). SEATTLE TWR AT FIRST SAID I HAD BEEN CONTACTED, WHICH I WASN'T, BUT REFUSED TO PULL THE TAPES. THE COMPANY IS STILL INVESTIGATING THAT ALSO.

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.