Cowling Failure During Takeoff Leads to Stall and Crash (N4021C)

What happened

During the takeoff and initial climb phase, the right half of the engine cowling detached from the aircraft. The pilot subsequently informed the investigator in charge that he had improperly latched the cowling during the preflight inspection. Following the detachment, the pilot initiated a turn toward the airport. While maintaining an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the runway, the airplane stalled and impacted terrain short of the runway.

The investigation

The investigation focused on the mechanical failure and the pilot's actions. It was determined that the cowling came loose due to improper latching during the preflight check by the pilot.

Findings

Contributing factors included improper preflight inspection leading to the cowling detachment, which resulted in a stall during the critical takeoff phase. The accident occurred short of the runway after the pilot attempted to return to the airport.