BE1900D flight crew has the engine cowling open during climb; returns for landing.

Attributes
ACN	701502
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vgt.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : motwn1.las
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 8600 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	701502
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 1730 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	701494
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

While on north town 1 departure VMC climb; #2 engine side panel (behind inside exhaust stack); opened in-flight. Passenger alerted us to the abnormality. I took control of the aircraft; so the first officer could keep an eye on the #2 engines. We immediately returned to vgt; landing runway 25. Prior to the departure of flight; I performed 2 walkaround on aircraft. I observed no abnormalities with the aircraft; including the cowling of #2 engine. My explanation to why the zeus fasteners was not discovered on the walkaround and came loose in-flight is: I tested the same zeus fasteners when it was in the hangar; under assistance of a mechanic. I determined that the fasteners could situation flush with the external cover; while not being correctly secured. Supplemental information from acn 701494: while this task is often delegated to the first officer; the aircraft had just been cleared by maintenance; and thus elected to perform this duty himself. The captain reported seeing no abnormalities with the aircraft exterior.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE1900D FLT CREW HAS THE ENG COWLING OPEN DURING CLB; RETURNS FOR LNDG.

Narrative: WHILE ON NORTH TOWN 1 DEP VMC CLB; #2 ENG SIDE PANEL (BEHIND INSIDE EXHAUST STACK); OPENED INFLT. PAX ALERTED US TO THE ABNORMALITY. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT; SO THE FO COULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE #2 ENGS. WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO VGT; LNDG RWY 25. PRIOR TO THE DEP OF FLT; I PERFORMED 2 WALKAROUND ON ACFT. I OBSERVED NO ABNORMALITIES WITH THE ACFT; INCLUDING THE COWLING OF #2 ENG. MY EXPLANATION TO WHY THE ZEUS FASTENERS WAS NOT DISCOVERED ON THE WALKAROUND AND CAME LOOSE INFLT IS: I TESTED THE SAME ZEUS FASTENERS WHEN IT WAS IN THE HANGAR; UNDER ASSISTANCE OF A MECH. I DETERMINED THAT THE FASTENERS COULD SIT FLUSH WITH THE EXTERNAL COVER; WHILE NOT BEING CORRECTLY SECURED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 701494: WHILE THIS TASK IS OFTEN DELEGATED TO THE FO; THE ACFT HAD JUST BEEN CLRED BY MAINT; AND THUS ELECTED TO PERFORM THIS DUTY HIMSELF. THE CAPT RPTED SEEING NO ABNORMALITIES WITH THE ACFT EXTERIOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.