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A dornier 328 after takeoff at 7000 ft declared an emergency and returned due to #1 engine cowling opening incurring aircraft damage.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 473750 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200005 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Do 328 TP (Turboprop) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Qualification | technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| Experience | maintenance technician : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 473750 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | other other other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
The engine cowling was opened to do a routine oil check. The mechanic thought the cowling was closed after the oil check was performed. The pilot noted that the cowling was closed and latched (secured) before flight. After the aircraft took off, the pilot saw the cowling coming open at about 7000 ft. The aircraft returned to the gate. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated opening and closing the cowling is not a difficult job. The reporter said when the cowling is unlocked the latches hang out but in this case nothing was hanging out to indicate an unlocked cowling. The reporter said the first officer made a walkaround inspection and did not report anything wrong with #1 engine cowling. The reporter said the cowling was extensively damaged. The reporter stated the company suspended him for 7 days then was terminated. The reporter said the cowling appeared closed and latched.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DORNIER 328 AFTER TKOF AT 7000 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED DUE TO #1 ENG COWLING OPENING INCURRING ACFT DAMAGE.
Narrative: THE ENG COWLING WAS OPENED TO DO A ROUTINE OIL CHK. THE MECH THOUGHT THE COWLING WAS CLOSED AFTER THE OIL CHK WAS PERFORMED. THE PLT NOTED THAT THE COWLING WAS CLOSED AND LATCHED (SECURED) BEFORE FLT. AFTER THE ACFT TOOK OFF, THE PLT SAW THE COWLING COMING OPEN AT ABOUT 7000 FT. THE ACFT RETURNED TO THE GATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED OPENING AND CLOSING THE COWLING IS NOT A DIFFICULT JOB. THE RPTR SAID WHEN THE COWLING IS UNLOCKED THE LATCHES HANG OUT BUT IN THIS CASE NOTHING WAS HANGING OUT TO INDICATE AN UNLOCKED COWLING. THE RPTR SAID THE FO MADE A WALKAROUND INSPECTION AND DID NOT RPT ANYTHING WRONG WITH #1 ENG COWLING. THE RPTR SAID THE COWLING WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. THE RPTR STATED THE COMPANY SUSPENDED HIM FOR 7 DAYS THEN WAS TERMINATED. THE RPTR SAID THE COWLING APPEARED CLOSED AND 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.