A321 crew had #2 engine cowl depart the engine and impact the wing leading edge and slat system.

Attributes
ACN	559874
Time
Date	200209
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A321
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	559874
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3-4
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After takeoff from phl we noticed a vibration on climb out. The flight attendant called the cockpit and said there looked like something was sticking upon the right wing. We checked all cockpit indications which were normal and the vibration was just about gone. The first officer went back to check out the situation and returned to say the cowling had come off the right engine and looked like it was up against the leading edge of the wing. We notified ZDC we needed to return to phl. We were somewhere about 20000 ft and needed time to descend and prepare for a no flap landing in phl because after talking it over with the first officer and another company pilot in the cabin we did not want to put out any leading edge devices with the cowling over the wing. We came back to phl and made an uneventful approach and landing. An emergency was declared by phl because we requested the trucks to stand-by. As far as a recurrence of this situation we need to find out more information from airbus I understand at this point there has been several cowling problems and will find out more information.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A321 CREW HAD #2 ENG COWL DEPART THE ENG AND IMPACT THE WING LEADING EDGE AND SLAT SYS.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM PHL WE NOTICED A VIBRATION ON CLBOUT. THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE COCKPIT AND SAID THERE LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING WAS STICKING UPON THE R WING. WE CHKED ALL COCKPIT INDICATIONS WHICH WERE NORMAL AND THE VIBRATION WAS JUST ABOUT GONE. THE FO WENT BACK TO CHK OUT THE SIT AND RETURNED TO SAY THE COWLING HAD COME OFF THE R ENG AND LOOKED LIKE IT WAS UP AGAINST THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING. WE NOTIFIED ZDC WE NEEDED TO RETURN TO PHL. WE WERE SOMEWHERE ABOUT 20000 FT AND NEEDED TIME TO DSND AND PREPARE FOR A NO FLAP LNDG IN PHL BECAUSE AFTER TALKING IT OVER WITH THE FO AND ANOTHER COMPANY PLT IN THE CABIN WE DID NOT WANT TO PUT OUT ANY LEADING EDGE DEVICES WITH THE COWLING OVER THE WING. WE CAME BACK TO PHL AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG. AN EMER WAS DECLARED BY PHL BECAUSE WE REQUESTED THE TRUCKS TO STAND-BY. AS FAR AS A RECURRENCE OF THIS SIT WE NEED TO FIND OUT MORE INFO FROM AIRBUS I UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL COWLING PROBS AND WILL FIND OUT MORE INFO.

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.