While flying a C120, a pilot made a precautionary landing when the engine cowling became loose and b...

Attributes
ACN	332438
Time
Date	199603
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cps
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 120
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	332438
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Regarding the 'precautionary' landing that was made, in pana, il, of the cessna 120. A friend (who is an airline captain and a CFI) and I were flying. We departed cps to dnv and flew to dnv without incident. Flight took 1 1/2 hours. Prior to commencing the return flight a preflight inspection was done and no problems were detected. About 40 mins into flight the engine cowling rear release let loose and caused the front release to tear. The cowling was flapping on the engine compartment and began to tear down the middle. My friend was the PIC at this time and circled around to look for a place to land. There were no airports within close range (all were at least 10 mi away), so he looked for a field to land. All the fields were soaking wet from rains or still had corn stalks in them, so there appeared a road with no obstacles on which he safely made a landing on this road and proceeded to repair the cowling by securing it to the frame with approximately 10 metal screws and duct tape. It was determined that the cowling was very secure and safe and airworthy and the flight was continued to the destination airport (cps) -- approximately 40 mi away without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE FLYING A C120, A PLT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WHEN THE ENG COWLING BECAME LOOSE AND BEGAN TEARING AWAY FROM THE COMPARTMENT. THE ACFT WAS LANDED ON A ROAD WHERE THE COWLING WAS SECURED WITH DUCT TAPE AND SCREWS AND THE ACFT THEN RETURNED TO THE DEST.

Narrative: REGARDING THE 'PRECAUTIONARY' LNDG THAT WAS MADE, IN PANA, IL, OF THE CESSNA 120. A FRIEND (WHO IS AN AIRLINE CAPT AND A CFI) AND I WERE FLYING. WE DEPARTED CPS TO DNV AND FLEW TO DNV WITHOUT INCIDENT. FLT TOOK 1 1/2 HRS. PRIOR TO COMMENCING THE RETURN FLT A PREFLT INSPECTION WAS DONE AND NO PROBS WERE DETECTED. ABOUT 40 MINS INTO FLT THE ENG COWLING REAR RELEASE LET LOOSE AND CAUSED THE FRONT RELEASE TO TEAR. THE COWLING WAS FLAPPING ON THE ENG COMPARTMENT AND BEGAN TO TEAR DOWN THE MIDDLE. MY FRIEND WAS THE PIC AT THIS TIME AND CIRCLED AROUND TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO LAND. THERE WERE NO ARPTS WITHIN CLOSE RANGE (ALL WERE AT LEAST 10 MI AWAY), SO HE LOOKED FOR A FIELD TO LAND. ALL THE FIELDS WERE SOAKING WET FROM RAINS OR STILL HAD CORN STALKS IN THEM, SO THERE APPEARED A ROAD WITH NO OBSTACLES ON WHICH HE SAFELY MADE A LNDG ON THIS ROAD AND PROCEEDED TO REPAIR THE COWLING BY SECURING IT TO THE FRAME WITH APPROX 10 METAL SCREWS AND DUCT TAPE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE COWLING WAS VERY SECURE AND SAFE AND AIRWORTHY AND THE FLT WAS CONTINUED TO THE DEST ARPT (CPS) -- APPROX 40 MI AWAY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.

While flying a C120, a pilot made a precautionary landing when the engine cowling became loose and began tearing away from the compartment. The aircraft was landed on a road where the cowling was secured with duct tape and screws and the aircraft then returned to the destination.