Small transport pilot incurs a low altitude warning while wrestling his aircraft back to the airport...

Attributes
ACN	140825
Time
Date	199003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dal
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	140825
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After landing in dallas on a scheduled freight route I elected to add engine oil to the right engine of the small transport I was piloting. To add oil, one must unlatch 5 cowl fasteners. After adding the oil I latched the 3 lower latches, which hold the cowling sides together. I failed to latch the top forward cowling. This top cowling is hinged at the rear on top of the wing. The latches are on each forward side. After a normal takeoff on 13L the top cowl opened and rotated back on top of the right wing. This reduced the performance of the airplane greatly while causing a strong yaw to the right. ATC was told of a need to return to oal to retrieve forgotten paperwork. After a clearance for a visual approach to 13L a slow descent was started to prevent cowling damage or loss. During this time I received a low altitude warning. This occurred at approximately 800' AGL. After a normal landing the cowling was inspected by myself and light damage was discovered. I fastened the 2 cowling latches and continued the flight to sat without incident. Performance and ctlability were greatly reduced and a careful preflight should be performed to prevent such problems. Pilot fatigue was a strong factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT INCURS A LOW ALT WARNING WHILE WRESTLING HIS ACFT BACK TO THE ARPT AFTER A COWLING OPENED UP, GIVING HIM CONTROL PROBLEMS.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG IN DALLAS ON A SCHEDULED FREIGHT ROUTE I ELECTED TO ADD ENGINE OIL TO THE RIGHT ENGINE OF THE SMT I WAS PILOTING. TO ADD OIL, ONE MUST UNLATCH 5 COWL FASTENERS. AFTER ADDING THE OIL I LATCHED THE 3 LOWER LATCHES, WHICH HOLD THE COWLING SIDES TOGETHER. I FAILED TO LATCH THE TOP FORWARD COWLING. THIS TOP COWLING IS HINGED AT THE REAR ON TOP OF THE WING. THE LATCHES ARE ON EACH FORWARD SIDE. AFTER A NORMAL TKOF ON 13L THE TOP COWL OPENED AND ROTATED BACK ON TOP OF THE RIGHT WING. THIS REDUCED THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRPLANE GREATLY WHILE CAUSING A STRONG YAW TO THE RIGHT. ATC WAS TOLD OF A NEED TO RETURN TO OAL TO RETRIEVE FORGOTTEN PAPERWORK. AFTER A CLRNC FOR A VISUAL APCH TO 13L A SLOW DSCNT WAS STARTED TO PREVENT COWLING DAMAGE OR LOSS. DURING THIS TIME I RECEIVED A LOW ALT WARNING. THIS OCCURRED AT APPROX 800' AGL. AFTER A NORMAL LNDG THE COWLING WAS INSPECTED BY MYSELF AND LIGHT DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED. I FASTENED THE 2 COWLING LATCHES AND CONTINUED THE FLT TO SAT WITHOUT INCIDENT. PERFORMANCE AND CTLABILITY WERE GREATLY REDUCED AND A CAREFUL PREFLT SHOULD BE PERFORMED TO PREVENT SUCH PROBLEMS. PLT FATIGUE WAS A STRONG FACTOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Small transport pilot incurs a low altitude warning while wrestling his aircraft back to the airport after a cowling opened up, giving him control problems.