What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 12, 2016, at approximately 1339 hrs, Learjet, N22AX, ser. No. 101, departed from Concord Regional Airport (jqf) with 2 crew and 1 passenger. The aircraft flew to the wilmington, NC area reaching an altitude of 41,000 ft where it made a right turn to head back toward Concord, NC. The aircraft began a descent to 25,000 ft as directed by ATC. During the descent at approximately 1415 hrs and an altitude of 30,000 ft, the aircraft began to shudder. The crew worked to identify the cause and thought it to be an issue with the flight controls. An immediate landing at florence regional airport was discussed among the crew, however the shuddering lessened and the crew flew back to jqf where the aircraft landed safely. After landing and taxiing to the ramp, the crew noted that the upper right engine cowling was missing from the aircraft and the lower right cowling was hanging from the 3 inboard cowling attach points, still fully attached.
FAA inspector was on scene and documented the aircraft photographically.
A Learjet field service representative was contacted by the operator after landing. The rep arrived the following day; inspected the aircraft and submitted information to Bombardier engineering for evaluation of the damage and recommended repair.
The investigating FAA inspector requested of the operator to be kept advised of engineerings determination and the operator agreed.
At this time, the missing cowling has not been located/recovered.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2016, AT APPROXIMATELY 1339 HRS, LEARJET, N22AX, SER.NO. 101, DEPARTED FROM CONCORD REGIONAL AIRPORT (JQF) WITH 2 CREW AND 1 PASSENGER. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW TO THE WILMINGTON, NC AREA REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF 41,000 FT WHERE IT MADE A RIGHT TURN TO HEAD BACK TOWARD CONCORD, NC. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A DESCENT TO 25,000 FT AS DIRECTED BY ATC. DURING THE DESCENT AT APPROXIMATELY 1415 HRS AND AN ALTITUDE OF 30,000 FT, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SHUDDER. THE CREW WORKED TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE AND THOUGHT IT TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. AN IMMEDIATE LANDING AT FLORENCE REGIONAL AIRPORT WAS DISCUSSED AMONG THE CREW, HOWEVER THE SHUDDERING LESSENED AND THE CREW FLEW BACK TO JQF WHERE THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY. AFTER LANDING AND TAXIING TO THE RAMP, THE CREW NOTED THAT THE UPPER RIGHT ENGINE COWLING WAS MISSING FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE LOWER RIGHT COWLING WAS HANGING FROM THE 3 INBOARD COWLING ATTACH POINTS, STILL FULLY ATTACHED.
FAA INSPECTOR WAS ON SCENE AND DOCUMENTED THE AIRCRAFT PHOTOGRAPHICALLY.
A LEARJET FIELD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WAS CONTACTED BY THE OPERATOR AFTER LANDING. THE REP ARRIVED THE FOLLOWING DAY; INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND SUBMITTED INFORMATION TO BOMBARDIER ENGINEERING FOR EVALUATION OF THE DAMAGE AND RECOMMENDED REPAIR.
THE INVESTIGATING FAA INSPECTOR REQUESTED OF THE OPERATOR TO BE KEPT ADVISED OF ENGINEERINGS DETERMINATION AND THE OPERATOR AGREED.
AT THIS TIME, THE MISSING COWLING HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED/RECOVERED.