<< >> NASA ASRS Report 412407, August 1998

Flight crew of LR31A is notified by tower on initial climb that an engine cowling is open. Emergency declared and return land.

Attributes
ACN	412407
Time
Date	199808
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 100 msl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mdw
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	412407
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On initial climb departing runway 4R at mdw, we were informed by an aircraft on the ground and tower that our right engine cowl was open. Almost immediately thereafter, we heard and felt a vibration and the sound of metal fluttering from the vicinity of the right engine. The captain immediately recognized what had happened, stating that he had unlatched the bottom cowl of the right engine to check the oil level and did not secure the cowl afterwards. He then instructed me to declare an emergency and that we were returning for landing. He slowed the aircraft to a minimum maneuvering speed and returned the aircraft for landing on runway 4R at mdw. Not knowing what the extent of the damage was, the captain opted to not deploy the thrust reversers and we landed uneventfully without further incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LR31A IS NOTIFIED BY TWR ON INITIAL CLB THAT AN ENG COWLING IS OPEN. EMER DECLARED AND RETURN LAND.

Narrative: ON INITIAL CLB DEPARTING RWY 4R AT MDW, WE WERE INFORMED BY AN ACFT ON THE GND AND TWR THAT OUR R ENG COWL WAS OPEN. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, WE HEARD AND FELT A VIBRATION AND THE SOUND OF METAL FLUTTERING FROM THE VICINITY OF THE R ENG. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED, STATING THAT HE HAD UNLATCHED THE BOTTOM COWL OF THE R ENG TO CHK THE OIL LEVEL AND DID NOT SECURE THE COWL AFTERWARDS. HE THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO DECLARE AN EMER AND THAT WE WERE RETURNING FOR LNDG. HE SLOWED THE ACFT TO A MINIMUM MANEUVERING SPD AND RETURNED THE ACFT FOR LNDG ON RWY 4R AT MDW. NOT KNOWING WHAT THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE WAS, THE CAPT OPTED TO NOT DEPLOY THE THRUST REVERSERS AND WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY 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.