What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Shortly after beginning the decent phase of flight, inbound to kdov (dover air force base), the crew reported hearing a loud bang followed by a vibration. The crew then decided to divert to kmrb (Martinsburg airport). The crew then notified ATC of the concern and intent to divert. The aircraft landed without further incident and taxied to the ramp. After landing the crew found the engine cowlings missing from the right-hand engine. The upper engine cowling was wrapped around the right-hand horizontal stabilizer, and the lower outboard engine cowling was missing.
The FSDO received a report of an aircraft part found in a yard approximately 10 miles from kmrb. The part was retrieved and confirmed to be the outboard lower engine cowling from the aircraft.
The aircraft sustained damage to all 3 right hand engine cowlings, the aft engine fairing, and minor dents to the fuselage below the engine. The right-hand horizontal stabilizer leading edge was dented in to the spar and torn open. The outer horizontal stabilizer fairing was also damaged.
It was noted that the alignment pin for the inboard lower engine cowling was missing with no damage to the threads. Also, the center lower engine cowling latch was still closed.
Kmrb METAR METAR kmrb 141053Z 00000KT 10SM OVC095 08/06 A2990 rmk AO2 SLP127 T00830056=
As the FAA filed it
SHORTLY AFTER BEGINNING THE DECENT PHASE OF FLIGHT, INBOUND TO KDOV (DOVER AIR FORCE BASE), THE CREW REPORTED HEARING A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY A VIBRATION. THE CREW THEN DECIDED TO DIVERT TO KMRB (MARTINSBURG AIRPORT). THE CREW THEN NOTIFIED ATC OF THE CONCERN AND INTENT TO DIVERT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AND TAXIED TO THE RAMP. AFTER LANDING THE CREW FOUND THE ENGINE COWLINGS MISSING FROM THE RIGHT-HAND ENGINE. THE UPPER ENGINE COWLING WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE RIGHT-HAND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, AND THE LOWER OUTBOARD ENGINE COWLING WAS MISSING.
THE FSDO RECEIVED A REPORT OF AN AIRCRAFT PART FOUND IN A YARD APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES FROM KMRB. THE PART WAS RETRIEVED AND CONFIRMED TO BE THE OUTBOARD LOWER ENGINE COWLING FROM THE AIRCRAFT.
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO ALL 3 RIGHT HAND ENGINE COWLINGS, THE AFT ENGINE FAIRING, AND MINOR DENTS TO THE FUSELAGE BELOW THE ENGINE. THE RIGHT-HAND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER LEADING EDGE WAS DENTED IN TO THE SPAR AND TORN OPEN. THE OUTER HORIZONTAL STABILIZER FAIRING WAS ALSO DAMAGED.
IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ALIGNMENT PIN FOR THE INBOARD LOWER ENGINE COWLING WAS MISSING WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE THREADS. ALSO, THE CENTER LOWER ENGINE COWLING LATCH WAS STILL CLOSED.
KMRB METAR METAR KMRB 141053Z 00000KT 10SM OVC095 08/06 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP127 T00830056=
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.