http://fox4kc.com/2012/12/30/united-...ht-makes-emergency-landing-at-kci/

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/U...4/history/20121230/1359Z/KMCI/KMCI

A United Express Q400 departed Kansas City for Denver and shortly after takeoff an engine panel disembarked from the #2 engine. Aircraft was above max landing wight and circled for 30mins before returning to the originating airport.

This even, was super-ceded in the news cycle by the crash of Redwings in Moscow. ABC news had a short story about it, but never showed any pictures, and segued into the Redwings accident, which was apparently more dramatic, since it showed a dashcam video of that accident. Alto serious, as the VKO crash was, I did want to hear more about the MCI incident.

JD CRP

[Edited 2012-12-31 10:55:01]

This is actually a serious event. Any time an aircraft drops a part in flight, it's a serious event.

For the aircraft and its occupants, this is a minor issue. But for anyone who happened to be in the path of the falling component, it can be lethal.

N502LX shown on United.com which showed it departed MCI 3:40 late. Operated by Republic.

Quoting DocLightning (Reply 5): This is actually a serious event. Any time an aircraft drops a part in flight, it's a serious event.

Well, on the spectrum of panel coming off to A320 cowling ripping completely off (Just had another one the other day in Turkey http://avherald.com/h?article=45b0436a&opt=0 ) this ranks fairly low on the totem pole.

Quoting Spacepope (Reply 9):

I think Doc is referring more to the effects of gravity and what might be below the falling part when it reaches tarafirma.

Although not a good thing I have seen multiple panels/ant.s missing over many many years as a mech.. I remember in the military we had to make a report called TFOA (thing falling off aircraft). 737 wise, I tried to find a pic. in the database but was unsuccessful. The 737 Classic has a history of losing pylon panels. Why? Because of the installation. You would have to try it. It is a very different type of fastener. It is not at all difficult to understand a mech. making a mistake. I tried to find a pic. in the database but was unsuccessful.

Quoting Spacepope (Reply 4): Well, on the spectrum of panel coming off to A320 cowling ripping completely off (Just had another one the other day in Turkey http://avherald.com/h?article=45b0436a&opt=0 ) this ranks fairly low on the totem pole.

Not if you're the poor schmuck standing under the panel when it hits the ground.

A significant panel to fall off and I hope nobody was injured on the ground. I wouldn't have thought it posed much of a threat to the flight itself other than the requirement to burn up fuel for landing
I am also sure that the news article has over exaggerated the passengers' side of things enough to keep their ambulance chasing lawyers busy chasing compo for the stress of it all........

In my 30 years in this business I'd have to say dropped objects were unfortunately fairly common. Typically small sheetmetal doors, lav dump caps, and maybe the occasional large honeycomb structure.

Can't say I recall anyone getting hit by one. What's terminal velocity for a 1' X 1' sheet of 1/8" aluminum? Now the lav dump caps & donuts were fairly dense.. I'd be careful of that one.. and, naturally, whatever was behind it in the dump pipe.

I got one for you...(true story but can't source names). Story never made the press. About three years ago a friend of mine that works one of NY majors worked the early AM shift and performed a runway sweep. He found what he believed to be a wing leading edge segment, about 7 feet in length on the runway. Problem is it had the carrier colors on it behind the aluminum bull nose and was easily identifiable. He and his superiors contact the airline and asked if they were missing something. The answer was confirmed...one of their wide bodies just spent the night en route to New York (over water) and apparently on touch down during thrust reversal, the component fell off. Another words...the ship had undergone some maintenance and the segment was placed in position w/ a few fasteners but never finally secured. It was able to stay in place because of the aerodynamic forces while during the flight, the lightly placed few fasteners, no doubt finger tightened, backed off from vibration. It was the leading edge of the vertical fin from a 777. Had that item had fallen off over the suburbs it certainly would have caused some sizable damage to something/ some one, fatally. It has happened around here quite often actually, 747 flap "Canoe", 727 flap slat vein, L-1011 wing flap, 747 blown fan blades all over a park near JFK en route to Paris. L-1011 engine cowl found on beach , Tobay, Long Island. Many of the items are held in place by Steel latches and they are adjustable, at least some of them are. If they are mistreated or forced they can deform failing their job in flight. No big deal unless it is a forward located latch exposed to the slipstream. Once the moving air gets underneath the panel, the rest fail and off the panel comes.   

Quoting zanl188 (Reply 9): In my 30 years in this business I'd have to say dropped objects were unfortunately fairly common. Typically small sheetmetal doors, lav dump caps, and maybe the occasional large honeycomb structure. Can't say I recall anyone getting hit by one. What's terminal velocity for a 1' X 1' sheet of 1/8" aluminum? Now the lav dump caps & donuts were fairly dense.. I'd be careful of that one.. and, naturally, whatever was behind it in the dump pipe.

Reminds of the TAM Fokker 100 that had the entire passenger door open and separate from the aircraft soon after takeoff from Sao Paulo in 2006. The door landed on the roof of a supermarket.
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20060808-0

And a few engines have separated over the years. If memory correct this one was due to ice ingestion. I think a JT8D weighs about as much as a large car.

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Photo © Brian Harrison

Kalitta had an engine fall off one of their 747s over Lake Michigan within the past ten years.

There are som infamous pictures out there on the web:
AirTran leased A320 without an engine cowling in-flight
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...CaDeM3MgwA&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.aWM

KLM engine nozzle fell on the beach near LAX
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/900110.stm

Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 11): And a few engines have separated over the years. If memory correct this one was due to ice ingestion. I think a JT8D weighs about as much as a large car.

Yep I remember that incident well..Was a chunk of blue ice that formed behind the lav service panel that was leaking it dislodged and hit the engine and the engine seperated. It came down in a remote area of North Florida. American had a 727 that the exact same thing happened and their engine came down over New Mexico I believe.