History of the Flight
On 8 July 2005, a Cessna 560XL, registration G-WCIN, was operating a private flight from Gibraltar to Jersey. The commander had requested refueling and completed his pre-flight external checks before the refueler arrived. When the passengers arrived, the commander continued with preparations, leaving the refueler to proceed unattended. After refueling, the commander did not personally re-check the security of the fueling point on the aircraft.
Takeoff progressed normally until the point of rotation, when the right engine vibration alert caption illuminated. The commander reduced power on that engine, established the aircraft in the climb, and reported to ATC that he might have a problem. An external observer on the airport noticed an unusual noise during takeoff and reported it to ATC, who informed the pilot. The pilot stated he had a minor engine vibration and intended to continue to his destination. The flight completed to Jersey using reduced power on the right engine.
Findings
During inspection of the runway, prompted by reports of engine vibration and an unusual noise, a heavily damaged piece of red-painted metal was found. This was identified as the dust cover fitted over the refueling point, attached to the airframe by a lightweight chain. On the Cessna 560XL, this cover is positioned behind an openable panel in the wing root fairing, directly ahead of the leading edge of the right wing. Examination after landing showed the fan of the right engine was severely damaged. The dust cover had detached and struck the fan, causing the damage.