SA227 captain reports right upper engine cowling departing the aircraft shortly after takeoff during...

Narrative:

We finished ground school and this was the first training flight before the check ride. Myself and the chief pilot started engines with a gpu. After disconnection of gpu we did the after start checklists then we practiced the engine tests that are supposed to be done on first flight of the day. After maybe 8 minutes we requested taxi to the active for a west bound departure to do air work and approaches. ATC cleared us VFR below 2;000 ft; heading 300 degrees. We departed. I was in the left seat as pilot flying. I did not feel any vibration or noise or anything abnormal. We took off climb; leveled off at 1;800 ft; turned to 300 degrees. Two minutes later we heard a 'bang' and a bump like when you fly through wake turbulence. We didn't know what it was. We looked around and saw the top cowling missing on the right engine. We turned around and told ATC of the problem. They gave us priority and we landed with an airport vehicle doing a runway inspection behind us for FOD. We parked at FBO safely. After shutdown we discovered that cowling hit right outboard leading edge and left some bends and a little hole. I don't know if I should be considered as pilot in command since I was in left seat but I'm not checked out yet and I was with the chief pilot on a training flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SA227 Captain reports right upper engine cowling departing the aircraft shortly after takeoff during a training flight. An uneventful return to the departure airport ensues.

Narrative: We finished ground school and this was the first training flight before the check ride. Myself and the Chief Pilot started engines with a GPU. After disconnection of GPU we did the after start checklists then we practiced the engine tests that are supposed to be done on first flight of the day. After maybe 8 minutes we requested taxi to the active for a west bound departure to do air work and approaches. ATC cleared us VFR below 2;000 FT; heading 300 degrees. We departed. I was in the left seat as pilot flying. I did not feel any vibration or noise or anything abnormal. We took off climb; leveled off at 1;800 FT; turned to 300 degrees. Two minutes later we heard a 'bang' and a bump like when you fly through wake turbulence. We didn't know what it was. We looked around and saw the top cowling missing on the right engine. We turned around and told ATC of the problem. They gave us priority and we landed with an airport vehicle doing a runway inspection behind us for FOD. We parked at FBO safely. After shutdown we discovered that cowling hit right outboard leading edge and left some bends and a little hole. I don't know if I should be considered as pilot in command since I was in left seat but I'm not checked out yet and I was with the Chief Pilot on a training flight.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	927299
Time
Date	201101
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	SA-227 AC Metro III
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Cowling
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Trainee
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 260 Flight Crew Total 5600 Flight Crew Type 2900
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical

SA227 captain reports right upper engine cowling departing the aircraft shortly after takeoff during a training flight. An uneventful return to the departure airport ensues.