# Incident 19971017033949I: Piper PA28180, Columbia, SC, October 17, 1997

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 17, 1997, 07:20 local time
- Place: Columbia, SC
- Airport: Columbia Metropolitan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.9382° N, 81.1230° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9382&lon=-81.1230&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8132W, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8132W) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28180
- Reported engine: LYC O360*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total, 7,700 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971017033949I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NARRATIVE: AT 0720 HOURS LOCAL AND APPROXIMATELY 22 MILES SW OF CAE, ON AN IFR FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE UPPER COWLING BLEW OFF. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT AIKEN WITHOUT INCIDENT. AN INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED BY THIS OFFICE. THE PROPELLER AND WINDSHIELD SUSTAINED MINOR ABRASION DAMAGE. THE RIGHT WING LEADING EDGE AND FUEL TANK WAS DENTED. NO MECHANICAL DEFECTS COULD BE FOUND IN THE COWLING ATTACH FITTINGS. NO MECHANICAL DEFECT COULD BE FOUND THAT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THE UPPER COWLING BLEW OFF THE AIRCRAFT.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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