What happened
On 29 June 2008, a Cessna Citation 560XL, registration G-OROO, was performing a flight from Bournemouth, Dorset, to Biggin Hill, Kent. During the transit, the upper cowling of the left engine became detached from the aircraft.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation focused on the structural impact of the component failure. The investigation established that the detachment of the left engine upper cowling led to direct contact with the aircraft's aerodynamic surfaces. Specifically, the event resulted in damage to the leading edge of the vertical fin and caused a scuff mark on the de-ice boot located on the left horizontal stabiliser leading edge.
Findings
- The primary cause of the structural damage was the detachment of the left engine upper cowling during flight.
- The incident resulted in damage to the fin and the left horizontal stabiliser de-ice boot.