Cowling screw fell off during flight

Realms09 · July 26th, 2004, 19:58

While being dispatched an aircraft for my first solo flight to the practice area, the instructors behind the desk advised me that this particular aircraft had a screw on the cowling that rattled around. However, I should not be concerned as this was a querk of the aircraft and the screw wasn't going anywhere. Sure enough, after rolling out of an S-turn across a road the screw flew off the cowling, bounced off the windshield and wing strut, and continued downward onto the sparsely populated area below (farm fields). Does such an event need to be reported to anyone (other than the flight school)? Nobody at the flight school was too concerned. God forbid anybody was hurt by it. Thankfully the odds are extremely low of this occuring, and I have not seen any such news reports in the area. I learned an important lesson. Never let the advice of other pilots, even much more experienced ones, override your own instinctive judgment of what is safe (when your judgement rests on the side of caution). As PIC I bear responsibility for anything that happens, not the instructors who advise me.

EatSleepFly · July 26th, 2004, 20:09

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I wouldn't sweat it. Cowling screws (esp. in Cessnas) have a tendency to do that.

JC1188 · July 26th, 2004, 20:35

It's happened to me, no big deal..according to my instructor [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

and my door flew open once mid-flight. those cessnas [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

Mavmb · July 26th, 2004, 20:40

[ QUOTE ]
While being dispatched an aircraft for my first solo flight to the practice area, the instructors behind the desk advised me that this particular aircraft had a screw on the cowling that rattled around. However, I should not be concerned as this was a querk of the aircraft and the screw wasn't going anywhere. Sure enough, after rolling out of an S-turn across a road the screw flew off the cowling, bounced off the windshield and wing strut, and continued downward onto the sparsely populated area below (farm fields). Does such an event need to be reported to anyone (other than the flight school)? Nobody at the flight school was too concerned. God forbid anybody was hurt by it. Thankfully the odds are extremely low of this occuring, and I have not seen any such news reports in the area. I learned an important lesson. Never let the advice of other pilots, even much more experienced ones, override your own instinctive judgment of what is safe (when your judgement rests on the side of caution). As PIC I bear responsibility for anything that happens, not the instructors who advise me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually the instructor that signed you off bears as much responsibility as you do! I've flown a lot of Cessnas and those screws around the cowling are always coming loose.

TheWife · July 26th, 2004, 20:59

[ QUOTE ]
and my door flew open once mid-flight

[/ QUOTE ] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] Scary!!

flyguy · July 26th, 2004, 21:02

I've had many fall off "in flight" [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I've also had a lot of nav lights and landing/taxi lights burn out "in flight" on day flights. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Tim06 · July 26th, 2004, 21:13

[ QUOTE ]
I've had many fall off "in flight" [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I've also had a lot of nav lights and landing/taxi lights burn out "in flight" on day flights. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

About 70% of my night flying was when the landing light burnt out! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif[/img]

kellwolf · July 26th, 2004, 22:11

Like everyone else says, don't worry about it from a legal aspect. Unless your engine caught fire in flight, you suddenly became incapacitated, or you had a flight control problem, you're in the clear. Since you're talking to us, I gather none of that happened. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

SteveC · July 26th, 2004, 22:47

Be careful, though, guys. Yeah, normally losing a cowling screw isn't a big deal.

Until.....you lose some on the leading edge of a panel, the airstream gets underneath it and rips the panel off, or partially off. It's rare, but that kind of thing has caused accidents in the past. And the higher the performance (i.e. higher airspeed), the greater the danger. Imagine partially losing an engine cowling on a twin at 200 knots in a descent. I wonder what that great big oversize "aileron" will do to your control of the plane?

When making a decision about little things like cowling screws it pays to really think things through. And if you want good advice on something like this, I'd rather look up a grizzled old pilot or AP with a lot of experience in type, not a 300 or 500 hour CFI. When in doubt, err on the side of safety. You might get some jeers from time to time, but you'll probably live longer.

Back to the original, I'd agree that what you dealt with was not a big deal, it happens every day, and the danger is very, very low. BUT, don't let it plant the wrong seeds. Learn when and how those kind of discrepancies can become a problem, don't just learn that "loose cowling screws = no problem".

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

rhs · July 26th, 2004, 22:51

One came loose and started dancing around right behind the prop on me once right after takeoff. Decided to circle back and land...esp since the wife was in the right seat. Turns out it was no big deal, but better safe than sorry!

Doug Taylor · July 27th, 2004, 04:58

I was bored to death, almost literally, coming back from the practice area just south of Gilroy, CA. So I dozed off and kind of propped myself on the door. Then **POP!!** the door pops open and there I am looking out of the door at the freeway!

danielsexton · July 27th, 2004, 07:51

[ QUOTE ]
I was bored to death, almost literally, coming back from the practice area just south of Gilroy, CA. So I dozed off and kind of propped myself on the door. Then **POP!!** the door pops open and there I am looking out of the door at the freeway!

[/ QUOTE ]

what a wake up call! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Ramsey · July 27th, 2004, 08:17

So, I’m driving my $100k car around in a farm field minding my business when all of a sudden this screw comes smashing thru the windshield, bounces off my PDA – destroying it - and then rips a gash thru my passenger seat and continues thru the rear firewall cutting a fuel line and causing my car to burst into a great big ball of fire. I think it might have been your screw… so where do I send the bill? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Doug Taylor · July 27th, 2004, 12:37

And my only thought was "Boy, you can really smell the garlic here in Gilroy!"

Bandit_Driver · July 27th, 2004, 12:44

TIM06:

The landing light burned out after takeoff right? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] (SARCASM)

Bandit_Driver · July 27th, 2004, 12:45

Hey if your worried you can always file a NASA ASRS report to CYA

ILSstud · July 27th, 2004, 16:47

ditto on the door popping open Doug! I was flying down to PBI and here I am flying the ILS perfectly and all of a sudden I hear a huge woosh of air. It's nice seeing US1 about 4 inches from your foot. Now everytime I fly i keep my wallet and keys in my right pocket just in case... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

gomntwins · July 27th, 2004, 18:21

I had an alternator belt fall over over a residential neighborhood a couple months ago... bet that could've scared the hell out of somebody.

BuckTurgidson · July 27th, 2004, 20:03

I had an employee from the FAA (I won't say who or where but, he was pretty far up the food chain) show me his plane one night. He wanted me to see the interior so he turns on the master switch, like a lot of pilots he leaves the rotating beacon switch on all the time so that he won't forget when he starts the engine. Well, I am standing there and I can hear the beacon motor turning but, the light is burned out. I mention to him that his rotating beacon is burned out, he looks at it, looks at me, grins and says "Nah, it's just real dim"!. We both started laughing, it was classic. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

RABIRZA69 · July 27th, 2004, 20:37

well it does say in the FAR's that you can drop objects out of the plane just as long as you take care not to hurt someone or something.. so there you go it was perfectly legal for you to drop that screw [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img]

flyguy · July 28th, 2004, 02:55

[ QUOTE ]
well it does say in the FAR's that you can drop objects out of the plane just as long as you take care not to hurt someone or something.. so there you go it was perfectly legal for you to drop that screw [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
That reg often comes to mind when I'm doing touch-n-goes on 27L at OAK. Crosswind leg is right over the Oakland Raiders practice facility. They wear helmets right? So that's my assurance I won't hurt them when I drop a load of [insert offensive substance] on them. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I'd never actually do, but I can't help but think about it when I'm flying over them. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bandit.gif[/img]

tonyw · July 28th, 2004, 10:49

[ QUOTE ]
That reg often comes to mind when I'm doing touch-n-goes on 27L at OAK. Crosswind leg is right over the Oakland Raiders practice facility. They wear helmets right? So that's my assurance I won't hurt them when I drop a load of [insert offensive substance] on them. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, that stuff is soft. Besides, you probably think their coach is a [offensive substance] head and has [offensive substance] for brains, right? And their owner, too. So you'd just be helping them out.

Go for it!

flyguy · July 29th, 2004, 01:38

Well, its not worth it to have to carry the stuff in the plane. But a man can dream can't he? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

July 26th, 2004, 19:58	#1
Realms09 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 238	Cowling screw fell off during flight While being dispatched an aircraft for my first solo flight to the practice area, the instructors behind the desk advised me that this particular aircraft had a screw on the cowling that rattled around. However, I should not be concerned as this was a querk of the aircraft and the screw wasn't going anywhere. Sure enough, after rolling out of an S-turn across a road the screw flew off the cowling, bounced off the windshield and wing strut, and continued downward onto the sparsely populated area below (farm fields). Does such an event need to be reported to anyone (other than the flight school)? Nobody at the flight school was too concerned. God forbid anybody was hurt by it. Thankfully the odds are extremely low of this occuring, and I have not seen any such news reports in the area. I learned an important lesson. Never let the advice of other pilots, even much more experienced ones, override your own instinctive judgment of what is safe (when your judgement rests on the side of caution). As PIC I bear responsibility for anything that happens, not the instructors who advise me.

July 26th, 2004, 20:09	#2
EatSleepFly Old Skool Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: ?? Posts: 4,600	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I wouldn't sweat it. Cowling screws (esp. in Cessnas) have a tendency to do that.

July 26th, 2004, 20:35	#3
JC1188 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 303	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight It's happened to me, no big deal..according to my instructor [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] and my door flew open once mid-flight. those cessnas [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

July 26th, 2004, 20:40	#4
Mavmb Old Skool Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 2,169	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight [ QUOTE ] While being dispatched an aircraft for my first solo flight to the practice area, the instructors behind the desk advised me that this particular aircraft had a screw on the cowling that rattled around. However, I should not be concerned as this was a querk of the aircraft and the screw wasn't going anywhere. Sure enough, after rolling out of an S-turn across a road the screw flew off the cowling, bounced off the windshield and wing strut, and continued downward onto the sparsely populated area below (farm fields). Does such an event need to be reported to anyone (other than the flight school)? Nobody at the flight school was too concerned. God forbid anybody was hurt by it. Thankfully the odds are extremely low of this occuring, and I have not seen any such news reports in the area. I learned an important lesson. Never let the advice of other pilots, even much more experienced ones, override your own instinctive judgment of what is safe (when your judgement rests on the side of caution). As PIC I bear responsibility for anything that happens, not the instructors who advise me. [/ QUOTE ] Actually the instructor that signed you off bears as much responsibility as you do! I've flown a lot of Cessnas and those screws around the cowling are always coming loose.

July 26th, 2004, 20:59	#5
TheWife Old Skool Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Utah Posts: 4,180	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight [ QUOTE ] and my door flew open once mid-flight [/ QUOTE ] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] Scary!!

July 26th, 2004, 21:02	#6
flyguy Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 2,094	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight I've had many fall off "in flight" [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I've also had a lot of nav lights and landing/taxi lights burn out "in flight" on day flights. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

July 26th, 2004, 21:13	#7
Tim06 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Danbury, CT Posts: 487	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight [ QUOTE ] I've had many fall off "in flight" [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I've also had a lot of nav lights and landing/taxi lights burn out "in flight" on day flights. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [/ QUOTE ] About 70% of my night flying was when the landing light burnt out! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif[/img]

July 26th, 2004, 22:11	#8
kellwolf Old Skool Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 14,230	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight Like everyone else says, don't worry about it from a legal aspect. Unless your engine caught fire in flight, you suddenly became incapacitated, or you had a flight control problem, you're in the clear. Since you're talking to us, I gather none of that happened. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

July 26th, 2004, 22:47	#9
SteveC Modulator Join Date: May 2003 Location: GRR Posts: 8,788	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight Be careful, though, guys. Yeah, normally losing a cowling screw isn't a big deal. Until.....you lose some on the leading edge of a panel, the airstream gets underneath it and rips the panel off, or partially off. It's rare, but that kind of thing has caused accidents in the past. And the higher the performance (i.e. higher airspeed), the greater the danger. Imagine partially losing an engine cowling on a twin at 200 knots in a descent. I wonder what that great big oversize "aileron" will do to your control of the plane? When making a decision about little things like cowling screws it pays to really think things through. And if you want good advice on something like this, I'd rather look up a grizzled old pilot or AP with a lot of experience in type, not a 300 or 500 hour CFI. When in doubt, err on the side of safety. You might get some jeers from time to time, but you'll probably live longer. Back to the original, I'd agree that what you dealt with was not a big deal, it happens every day, and the danger is very, very low. BUT, don't let it plant the wrong seeds. Learn when and how those kind of discrepancies can become a problem, don't just learn that "loose cowling screws = no problem". [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

July 26th, 2004, 22:51	#10
rhs Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Lone Star State Posts: 219	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight One came loose and started dancing around right behind the prop on me once right after takeoff. Decided to circle back and land...esp since the wife was in the right seat. Turns out it was no big deal, but better safe than sorry!

July 27th, 2004, 04:58	#11
Doug Taylor Agent Smith Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: KSDL Posts: 41,926 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight I was bored to death, almost literally, coming back from the practice area just south of Gilroy, CA. So I dozed off and kind of propped myself on the door. Then POP!! the door pops open and there I am looking out of the door at the freeway!

July 27th, 2004, 07:51	#12
danielsexton Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: CSG Posts: 186	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight [ QUOTE ] I was bored to death, almost literally, coming back from the practice area just south of Gilroy, CA. So I dozed off and kind of propped myself on the door. Then POP!! the door pops open and there I am looking out of the door at the freeway! [/ QUOTE ] what a wake up call! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

July 27th, 2004, 08:17	#13
Ramsey Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Ramstein Air Base, Germany; LH 747-400 SIM Posts: 571	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight So, I’m driving my $100k car around in a farm field minding my business when all of a sudden this screw comes smashing thru the windshield, bounces off my PDA – destroying it - and then rips a gash thru my passenger seat and continues thru the rear firewall cutting a fuel line and causing my car to burst into a great big ball of fire. I think it might have been your screw… so where do I send the bill? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

July 27th, 2004, 12:37	#14
Doug Taylor Agent Smith Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: KSDL Posts: 41,926 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight And my only thought was "Boy, you can really smell the garlic here in Gilroy!"

July 27th, 2004, 12:44	#15
Bandit_Driver Old Skool Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DTW Posts: 1,872	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight TIM06: The landing light burned out after takeoff right? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] (SARCASM)

July 27th, 2004, 12:45	#16
Bandit_Driver Old Skool Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DTW Posts: 1,872	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight Hey if your worried you can always file a NASA ASRS report to CYA

July 27th, 2004, 16:47	#17
ILSstud Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 631	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight ditto on the door popping open Doug! I was flying down to PBI and here I am flying the ILS perfectly and all of a sudden I hear a huge woosh of air. It's nice seeing US1 about 4 inches from your foot. Now everytime I fly i keep my wallet and keys in my right pocket just in case... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

July 27th, 2004, 18:21	#18
gomntwins Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Dakota Posts: 509	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight I had an alternator belt fall over over a residential neighborhood a couple months ago... bet that could've scared the hell out of somebody.

July 27th, 2004, 20:03	#19
BuckTurgidson Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 69	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight I had an employee from the FAA (I won't say who or where but, he was pretty far up the food chain) show me his plane one night. He wanted me to see the interior so he turns on the master switch, like a lot of pilots he leaves the rotating beacon switch on all the time so that he won't forget when he starts the engine. Well, I am standing there and I can hear the beacon motor turning but, the light is burned out. I mention to him that his rotating beacon is burned out, he looks at it, looks at me, grins and says "Nah, it's just real dim"!. We both started laughing, it was classic. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

July 27th, 2004, 20:37	#20
RABIRZA69 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Shaolin NY, ACK MA Posts: 592	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight well it does say in the FAR's that you can drop objects out of the plane just as long as you take care not to hurt someone or something.. so there you go it was perfectly legal for you to drop that screw [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img]

July 28th, 2004, 02:55	#21
flyguy Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 2,094	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight [ QUOTE ] well it does say in the FAR's that you can drop objects out of the plane just as long as you take care not to hurt someone or something.. so there you go it was perfectly legal for you to drop that screw [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] [/ QUOTE ] That reg often comes to mind when I'm doing touch-n-goes on 27L at OAK. Crosswind leg is right over the Oakland Raiders practice facility. They wear helmets right? So that's my assurance I won't hurt them when I drop a load of [insert offensive substance] on them. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I'd never actually do, but I can't help but think about it when I'm flying over them. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bandit.gif[/img]

July 28th, 2004, 10:49	#22
tonyw Old Skool Join Date: May 2002 Location: Maryland Posts: 15,922	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight [ QUOTE ] That reg often comes to mind when I'm doing touch-n-goes on 27L at OAK. Crosswind leg is right over the Oakland Raiders practice facility. They wear helmets right? So that's my assurance I won't hurt them when I drop a load of [insert offensive substance] on them. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [/ QUOTE ] Well, that stuff is soft. Besides, you probably think their coach is a [offensive substance] head and has [offensive substance] for brains, right? And their owner, too. So you'd just be helping them out. Go for it!

July 29th, 2004, 01:38	#23
flyguy Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 2,094	Re: Cowling screw fell off during flight Well, its not worth it to have to carry the stuff in the plane. But a man can dream can't he? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

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