A PA32-300 after takeoff, at 1000 ft, the upper engine cowling separated from the aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	361648
Time
Date	199702
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pne
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pne
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 205
ASRS Report	361648
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

A thorough preflight was conducted on the aircraft. No discrepancies were noted on the engine cowling. All screws and fasteners were in place. During the run-up, no unusual vibrations on or about the cowling were noted. Pne control tower cleared me for a takeoff on runway 33 with a left downwind departure. Nothing unusual happened during the takeoff run. Upon turning downwind, however, the engine cowling folded back against the windshield and then separated totally from the aircraft. The tower operator was notified. I was cleared for a landing on runway 33. I landed without any further incident. It was noted, after landing, that a hole had been punched in the leading edge of the right wing fuel tank and fuel was leaking from it. The tank was drained and the aircraft secured in the hangar. I call the control tower as I was requested to do and gave them information which they requested. I don't know why the engine cowling separated from the aircraft. I hadn't opened it during the preflight. I only opened the oil inspection port and checked the engine via the air inlet openings. The only time prior to this flight that the cowling was opened was when an aircraft repair station installed oil sump heating pads. This was approximately 3 weeks prior to this flight. I don't know if the person who picked up the aircraft from the repair shop opened the cowling. The cowling hasn't been found as of this report and, therefore, no evaluation of its condition has been made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA32-300 AFTER TKOF, AT 1000 FT, THE UPPER ENG COWLING SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT.

Narrative: A THOROUGH PREFLT WAS CONDUCTED ON THE ACFT. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED ON THE ENG COWLING. ALL SCREWS AND FASTENERS WERE IN PLACE. DURING THE RUN-UP, NO UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS ON OR ABOUT THE COWLING WERE NOTED. PNE CTL TWR CLRED ME FOR A TKOF ON RWY 33 WITH A L DOWNWIND DEP. NOTHING UNUSUAL HAPPENED DURING THE TKOF RUN. UPON TURNING DOWNWIND, HOWEVER, THE ENG COWLING FOLDED BACK AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD AND THEN SEPARATED TOTALLY FROM THE ACFT. THE TWR OPERATOR WAS NOTIFIED. I WAS CLRED FOR A LNDG ON RWY 33. I LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT. IT WAS NOTED, AFTER LNDG, THAT A HOLE HAD BEEN PUNCHED IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE R WING FUEL TANK AND FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM IT. THE TANK WAS DRAINED AND THE ACFT SECURED IN THE HANGAR. I CALL THE CTL TWR AS I WAS REQUESTED TO DO AND GAVE THEM INFO WHICH THEY REQUESTED. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE ENG COWLING SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. I HADN'T OPENED IT DURING THE PREFLT. I ONLY OPENED THE OIL INSPECTION PORT AND CHKED THE ENG VIA THE AIR INLET OPENINGS. THE ONLY TIME PRIOR TO THIS FLT THAT THE COWLING WAS OPENED WAS WHEN AN ACFT REPAIR STATION INSTALLED OIL SUMP HEATING PADS. THIS WAS APPROX 3 WKS PRIOR TO THIS FLT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE PERSON WHO PICKED UP THE ACFT FROM THE REPAIR SHOP OPENED THE COWLING. THE COWLING HASN'T BEEN FOUND AS OF THIS RPT AND, THEREFORE, NO EVALUATION OF ITS CONDITION HAS BEEN MADE.

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.