20251027017779I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Textron B300 · Kansas City, MO · October 27, 2025

Date
October 27, 2025 · 21:15 local
Place
Kansas City, MO
Airport
Charles B Wheeler Downtown
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N870ST
Reported as
Textron B300
Reported engine
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours
2,218 total183 in this make and model126 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

During a flight from philadelphia international airport (kphl) to Kansas City Downtown airport (kmkc), a "low hydraulic fluid" cas message was received at FL132. The crew followed the appropriate checklist and chose to continue to kmkc, planning to inspect the hydraulic fluid upon arrival. As the aircraft descended and the outside air temperature increased, the cas message cleared, and the landing gear extended without issue. Upon landing, the second-in-command (SIC) inspected the hydraulic fluid levels and found them satisfactory, coordinating with maintenance to confirm normal levels via the dipstick. Crew continuted with their planned flight schedule and departed kmkc. During the departure climb from kmkc, at 3,000 feet MSL, the aircraft experienced vibrations at 180 KIAS. The SIC observed that the left engine accessory gearbox cover was dislodged and resting on the engine cowling. An emergency was declared, and the aircraft was slowed to 130 KIAS, requesting return back to kmkc. A post-flight inspection revealed that the left engine's upper access cowling had not been properly secured after the previous inspection for oil leaks.

As the FAA filed it

DURING A FLIGHT FROM PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KPHL) TO KANSAS CITY DOWNTOWN AIRPORT (KMKC), A "LOW HYDRAULIC FLUID" CAS MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED AT FL132. THE CREW FOLLOWED THE APPROPRIATE CHECKLIST AND CHOSE TO CONTINUE TO KMKC, PLANNING TO INSPECT THE HYDRAULIC FLUID UPON ARRIVAL. AS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AND THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE INCREASED, THE CAS MESSAGE CLEARED, AND THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED WITHOUT ISSUE. UPON LANDING, THE SECOND-IN-COMMAND (SIC) INSPECTED THE HYDRAULIC FLUID LEVELS AND FOUND THEM SATISFACTORY, COORDINATING WITH MAINTENANCE TO CONFIRM NORMAL LEVELS VIA THE DIPSTICK. CREW CONTINUTED WITH THEIR PLANNED FLIGHT SCHEDULE AND DEPARTED KMKC. DURING THE DEPARTURE CLIMB FROM KMKC, AT 3,000 FEET MSL, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED VIBRATIONS AT 180 KIAS. THE SIC OBSERVED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE ACCESSORY GEARBOX COVER WAS DISLODGED AND RESTING ON THE ENGINE COWLING. AN EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLOWED TO 130 KIAS, REQUESTING RETURN BACK TO KMKC. A POST-FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE'S UPPER ACCESS COWLING HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY SECURED AFTER THE PREVIOUS INSPECTION FOR OIL LEAKS.