What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 30, 2026, at approximately 1700 eastern daylight time, privacy data omitted departed westchester county airport (hpn), white plains, new york, bound for newport state airport (uuu), newport, rhode island, under VFR conditions. The pilot stated prior to departure, he conducted a preflight inspection, topped off the fuel, and obtained a complete weather briefing. As part of the preflight inspection, the pilot opened both sides of the upper engine cowling to inspect the engine, subsequently closing and latching the cowling.
Shortly after departing runway 11 at hpn, while in level cruise at approximately 2,500 feet and seven minutes into the flight, the front-right engine cowling unlatched and began flapping violently. The pilot adjusted airspeed and altitude, initiated an immediate diversion toward Danbury municipal airport (dxr), and recontacted hpn tower to request the dxr frequency. The pilot declared an emergency, squawked code 7700, and was handed over to Danbury tower. En route to dxr, the loose right cowling door kinked inward, which stabilized the flapping.
The pilot executed a straight-in approach and normal landing on runway 35 at dxr, taxied clear, and held on the taxiway for emergency services and the airport manager. A post-landing inspection revealed damage to the right engine cowling and latch assembly, as well as a missing inner cowling baffle that had detached during the flight. The detached baffle caused substantial impact damage to the right horizontal stabilizer.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 30, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT (HPN), WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, BOUND FOR NEWPORT STATE AIRPORT (UUU), NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. THE PILOT STATED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, HE CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, TOPPED OFF THE FUEL, AND OBTAINED A COMPLETE WEATHER BRIEFING. AS PART OF THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, THE PILOT OPENED BOTH SIDES OF THE UPPER ENGINE COWLING TO INSPECT THE ENGINE, SUBSEQUENTLY CLOSING AND LATCHING THE COWLING.
SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING RUNWAY 11 AT HPN, WHILE IN LEVEL CRUISE AT APPROXIMATELY 2,500 FEET AND SEVEN MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE FRONT-RIGHT ENGINE COWLING UNLATCHED AND BEGAN FLAPPING VIOLENTLY. THE PILOT ADJUSTED AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE, INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE DIVERSION TOWARD DANBURY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (DXR), AND RECONTACTED HPN TOWER TO REQUEST THE DXR FREQUENCY. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, SQUAWKED CODE 7700, AND WAS HANDED OVER TO DANBURY TOWER. EN ROUTE TO DXR, THE LOOSE RIGHT COWLING DOOR KINKED INWARD, WHICH STABILIZED THE FLAPPING.
THE PILOT EXECUTED A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH AND NORMAL LANDING ON RUNWAY 35 AT DXR, TAXIED CLEAR, AND HELD ON THE TAXIWAY FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES AND THE AIRPORT MANAGER. A POST-LANDING INSPECTION REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING AND LATCH ASSEMBLY, AS WELL AS A MISSING INNER COWLING BAFFLE THAT HAD DETACHED DURING THE FLIGHT. THE DETACHED BAFFLE CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.