An FK27-500 in descent at 8000 ft had #1 engine gear box access door depart the aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	432788
Time
Date	199904
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sgf.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	F27 (Fokker BV)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : v159.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4700
ASRS Report	732788
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 575
ASRS Report	432783
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : non availability of parts contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Preflight at ZZZ showed all cowlings and doors secured. Cruise speed 190 KTS. Upon reaching 200 KTS in descent, small shudder and vibration began coming from left engine area. Alternator for deice equipment failed on left side. All other engine indications normal. Upon arrival at sgf, postflt found accessory gear box door on top of engine missing. I believe internal latch on gear box door may not have been fully latched. This could not be determined from outside preflight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated this door is located on the top of the engine nacelle and is used to service the engine and gear box oil. The reporter said the crew cannot see the door and can only see the latch handles on each side of the nacelle. The reporter stated the mechanics in ZZZ advised the reporter that the door needed work as it had to be wiggled to get closed and latched. The reporter stated when the door departed it left a portion of the door and one latch intact, still latched.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FK27-500 IN DSCNT AT 8000 FT HAD #1 ENG GEAR BOX ACCESS DOOR DEPART THE ACFT.

Narrative: PREFLT AT ZZZ SHOWED ALL COWLINGS AND DOORS SECURED. CRUISE SPD 190 KTS. UPON REACHING 200 KTS IN DSCNT, SMALL SHUDDER AND VIBRATION BEGAN COMING FROM L ENG AREA. ALTERNATOR FOR DEICE EQUIP FAILED ON L SIDE. ALL OTHER ENG INDICATIONS NORMAL. UPON ARR AT SGF, POSTFLT FOUND ACCESSORY GEAR BOX DOOR ON TOP OF ENG MISSING. I BELIEVE INTERNAL LATCH ON GEAR BOX DOOR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FULLY LATCHED. THIS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED FROM OUTSIDE PREFLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THIS DOOR IS LOCATED ON THE TOP OF THE ENG NACELLE AND IS USED TO SVC THE ENG AND GEAR BOX OIL. THE RPTR SAID THE CREW CANNOT SEE THE DOOR AND CAN ONLY SEE THE LATCH HANDLES ON EACH SIDE OF THE NACELLE. THE RPTR STATED THE MECHS IN ZZZ ADVISED THE RPTR THAT THE DOOR NEEDED WORK AS IT HAD TO BE WIGGLED TO GET CLOSED AND LATCHED. THE RPTR STATED WHEN THE DOOR DEPARTED IT LEFT A PORTION OF THE DOOR AND ONE LATCH INTACT, STILL 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.