Return land. Loose cowling fasteners on air taxi.

Attributes
ACN	291053
Time
Date	199412
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zan airport : ome
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zan
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 795 flight time total : 8177 flight time type : 889
ASRS Report	291053
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence 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:

Type aircraft-PA-31 piper navajo. I was the PIC of flight from ome to shh. After reaching VMC conditions on climb out I canceled IFR flight plan and as I was leveling at 8500 I noticed the cowling on the left engine starting to separate, due to 3 hold down fasteners that were loose. I reduced power and lowered flaps and landing gear to reduce airspeed. I requested a clearance to ome from zan and initially declared an emergency, but corrected the request with a request for priority handling. I performed the NDB runway 2 at ome and landed without incident. There was no damage to aircraft. A mechanic inspected fasteners and re-fastened them. The aircraft had just come out of maintenance and a mechanic had failed to tighten 3 fasteners. I missed the loose fasteners on my preflight inspection. The fasteners are marked with a red stripe that indicates the proper tight position, however, the stripes were nearly worn off. I realize I am still completely responsible and will, in the future, pay more attention in all aspects of the preflight inspection. The director of maintenance had all PA31 aircraft fastener markings repainted that evening.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RETURN LAND. LOOSE COWLING FASTENERS ON AIR TAXI.

Narrative: TYPE ACFT-PA-31 PIPER NAVAJO. I WAS THE PIC OF FLT FROM OME TO SHH. AFTER REACHING VMC CONDITIONS ON CLBOUT I CANCELED IFR FLT PLAN AND AS I WAS LEVELING AT 8500 I NOTICED THE COWLING ON THE L ENG STARTING TO SEPARATE, DUE TO 3 HOLD DOWN FASTENERS THAT WERE LOOSE. I REDUCED PWR AND LOWERED FLAPS AND LNDG GEAR TO REDUCE AIRSPD. I REQUESTED A CLRNC TO OME FROM ZAN AND INITIALLY DECLARED AN EMER, BUT CORRECTED THE REQUEST WITH A REQUEST FOR PRIORITY HANDLING. I PERFORMED THE NDB RWY 2 AT OME AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO ACFT. A MECH INSPECTED FASTENERS AND RE-FASTENED THEM. THE ACFT HAD JUST COME OUT OF MAINT AND A MECH HAD FAILED TO TIGHTEN 3 FASTENERS. I MISSED THE LOOSE FASTENERS ON MY PREFLT INSPECTION. THE FASTENERS ARE MARKED WITH A RED STRIPE THAT INDICATES THE PROPER TIGHT POS, HOWEVER, THE STRIPES WERE NEARLY WORN OFF. I REALIZE I AM STILL COMPLETELY RESPONSIBLE AND WILL, IN THE FUTURE, PAY MORE ATTN IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE PREFLT INSPECTION. THE DIRECTOR OF MAINT HAD ALL PA31 ACFT FASTENER MARKINGS REPAINTED THAT EVENING.

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.