C152 cowling inspection door piano hinge came out allowing the door to open in-flight.

Attributes
ACN	551327
Time
Date	200206
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ttn.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ttn.tower tower : mem.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	551327
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After takeoff from runway 6R, on the upwind leg, a rod which holds a cowling door hinge together became loose and subsequently separated. The cowling door started flapping against cowling. I elected to land on runway 16 ttn. The piece remained intact and there was no damage to the aircraft. We landed, removed the door and inspected the aircraft. We then flew back to our home base with no further incidents.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 COWLING INSPECTION DOOR PIANO HINGE CAME OUT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO OPEN INFLT.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM RWY 6R, ON THE UPWIND LEG, A ROD WHICH HOLDS A COWLING DOOR HINGE TOGETHER BECAME LOOSE AND SUBSEQUENTLY SEPARATED. THE COWLING DOOR STARTED FLAPPING AGAINST COWLING. I ELECTED TO LAND ON RWY 16 TTN. THE PIECE REMAINED INTACT AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. WE LANDED, REMOVED THE DOOR AND INSPECTED THE ACFT. WE THEN FLEW BACK TO OUR HOME BASE WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS.

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.