A B737-300 had the left engine pylon access panel depart the aircraft in-flight due to the panel fas...

Attributes
ACN	370567
Time
Date	199706
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	370567
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I may have inadvertently failed to properly secure a pylon access pane after a left engine change. Pilot reported a panel came off the left strut in-flight. Access panel appeared secured at the time of installation. The panel in question was not required to be removed for engine change per the job card. All pylon access panels were looked at and appeared secure. This type fastener, which are flush even when not locking panel to pylon, appeared tight and locked. The aircraft returned to pittsburgh and the missing panel was placed on confign deviation per procedures, and the aircraft was returned to service.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 HAD THE L ENG PYLON ACCESS PANEL DEPART THE ACFT INFLT DUE TO THE PANEL FASTENERS NOT SECURED.

Narrative: I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY FAILED TO PROPERLY SECURE A PYLON ACCESS PANE AFTER A L ENG CHANGE. PLT RPTED A PANEL CAME OFF THE L STRUT INFLT. ACCESS PANEL APPEARED SECURED AT THE TIME OF INSTALLATION. THE PANEL IN QUESTION WAS NOT REQUIRED TO BE REMOVED FOR ENG CHANGE PER THE JOB CARD. ALL PYLON ACCESS PANELS WERE LOOKED AT AND APPEARED SECURE. THIS TYPE FASTENER, WHICH ARE FLUSH EVEN WHEN NOT LOCKING PANEL TO PYLON, APPEARED TIGHT AND LOCKED. THE ACFT RETURNED TO PITTSBURGH AND THE MISSING PANEL WAS PLACED ON CONFIGN DEV PER PROCS, AND THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC.

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.

A B737-300 had the left engine pylon access panel depart the aircraft in-flight due to the panel fasteners not secured.