A B757-200 was dispatched with the #1 engine core or fan reverser cowling unlatched which opened in-...

Attributes
ACN	399720
Time
Date	199804
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
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	399720
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : investigated other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Working on air carrier aircraft, left engine had oil leak. Opened engine cowlings looking for oil leak. Reclosed engine cowling to be run to check for leak. Reopened engine cowling for second time for second look and found out that oil leak was within limits with maintenance control per maintenance manual. Started to reclose engine cowling, when I had a maintenance call from cleaning department for seat belt. I then went to get cleaning department a seat belt. I then returned, completed closing of engine cowling, but cannot remember if the core cowl was latched close then. Aircraft engine looked normal during start when departing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the left engine was opened twice for an oil leak problem, but could not recall if the core cowling was latched prior to departure. The reporter said the aircraft took off and the core cowling opened in-flight, damaging the cowling. Wing leading edge devices and pieces of the cowling damaged the left horizontal stabilizer. The reporter stated the latches suck up into the cowling, and there is no visible indication the cowling is not latched.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE #1 ENG CORE OR FAN REVERSER COWLING UNLATCHED WHICH OPENED INFLT INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE COWLING, WING LEADING EDGE DEVICES AND THE L HORIZ STABILIZER.

Narrative: WORKING ON ACR ACFT, L ENG HAD OIL LEAK. OPENED ENG COWLINGS LOOKING FOR OIL LEAK. RECLOSED ENG COWLING TO BE RUN TO CHK FOR LEAK. REOPENED ENG COWLING FOR SECOND TIME FOR SECOND LOOK AND FOUND OUT THAT OIL LEAK WAS WITHIN LIMITS WITH MAINT CTL PER MAINT MANUAL. STARTED TO RECLOSE ENG COWLING, WHEN I HAD A MAINT CALL FROM CLEANING DEPT FOR SEAT BELT. I THEN WENT TO GET CLEANING DEPT A SEAT BELT. I THEN RETURNED, COMPLETED CLOSING OF ENG COWLING, BUT CANNOT REMEMBER IF THE CORE COWL WAS LATCHED CLOSE THEN. ACFT ENG LOOKED NORMAL DURING START WHEN DEPARTING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE L ENG WAS OPENED TWICE FOR AN OIL LEAK PROB, BUT COULD NOT RECALL IF THE CORE COWLING WAS LATCHED PRIOR TO DEP. THE RPTR SAID THE ACFT TOOK OFF AND THE CORE COWLING OPENED INFLT, DAMAGING THE COWLING. WING LEADING EDGE DEVICES AND PIECES OF THE COWLING DAMAGED THE L HORIZ STABILIZER. THE RPTR STATED THE LATCHES SUCK UP INTO THE COWLING, AND THERE IS NO VISIBLE INDICATION THE COWLING IS NOT LATCHED.

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 B757-200 was dispatched with the #1 engine core or fan reverser cowling unlatched which opened in-flight incurring damage to the cowling, wing leading edge devices and the left horizontal stabilizer.