Narrative:

After touching down from a visibility approach, deceleration procedures were initiated. At approximately 80 KTS the PF voiced concern and I looked up to see a white object slide below the aircraft, just right of the nose. We cleared the runway and stopped, told tower we needed to have the runway inspected for debris, have company mechanics assure the aircraft was not dangerously disabled. The runway inspection revealed 1/2 of a widebody transport cowling which had been shed by the aircraft that landed just before us. Damage was to a gear door, hydraulic line, and right flap. Since the cowling was straddling the centerline, with no surface area except its edge facing toward the approach end of the runway, it was virtually invisible. This could have been avoided if the cowling was observed detaching by tower/other aircraft or if runway had been inspected.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG RAN OVER THE ENGINE COWLING FROM AN ACR WDB ACFT THAT HAD LANDED AHEAD OF IT.

Narrative: AFTER TOUCHING DOWN FROM A VIS APCH, DECELERATION PROCS WERE INITIATED. AT APPROX 80 KTS THE PF VOICED CONCERN AND I LOOKED UP TO SEE A WHITE OBJECT SLIDE BELOW THE ACFT, JUST R OF THE NOSE. WE CLRED THE RWY AND STOPPED, TOLD TWR WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE RWY INSPECTED FOR DEBRIS, HAVE COMPANY MECHS ASSURE THE ACFT WAS NOT DANGEROUSLY DISABLED. THE RWY INSPECTION REVEALED 1/2 OF A WDB COWLING WHICH HAD BEEN SHED BY THE ACFT THAT LANDED JUST BEFORE US. DAMAGE WAS TO A GEAR DOOR, HYD LINE, AND R FLAP. SINCE THE COWLING WAS STRADDLING THE CTRLINE, WITH NO SURFACE AREA EXCEPT ITS EDGE FACING TOWARD THE APCH END OF THE RWY, IT WAS VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE COWLING WAS OBSERVED DETACHING BY TWR/OTHER ACFT OR IF RWY HAD BEEN INSPECTED.

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.