What happened
On the afternoon of 12 November 2025, an instructor and student pilot departed Archerfield Airport, Queensland, for a navigational training flight in a Piper Aircraft Corporation PA-28R aircraft.
Following several hours of exercises, the flight was tracking east and transiting the Amberley Airport control zone at 1,500 ft when the entire upper engine cowling separated from its attachment points and flipped backward against the cockpit windshield, partially obstructing both pilots’ forward visibility.
Maintaining control of the aircraft and aware of their proximity to Amberley Airport, the crew immediately assessed the engine operation and aircraft handling – finding both unaffected. The crew called PAN PAN[1] to Amberley approach air traffic control and turned toward the aerodrome to conduct an approach to runway 15. After ATC advised of significant crosswinds for that runway and mindful of their very limited forward visibility, the crew re‑positioned for an approach to runway 04.
During the turn onto the base leg of the runway 04 approach, the cowling fractured into 2 sections, with the right side separating from the aircraft and the left side moving downward and away from the windshield, remaining attached to the aircraft. The final approach and landing were uneventful.
Engineering aspects
The PA-28 engine upper cowling is a shaped single-piece composite fibre structure that affixes to the lower cowling with 4 over-centre toggle style latches (2 on each side). The instructor reported that all latches were checked for security and tightness during the aircraft’s pre-flight inspection and noted that the flight had operated normally for around 3 hours before the separation. No defects or related issues were annotated in the aircraft’s maintenance release.
The reason/s for the cowl separation remain unknown.
Figure 1: Remaining cowl section and left separation points
Source: Supplied by operator, annotated by the ATSB
Safety message
The well-managed response to this significant in-flight emergency ensured the safe recovery of the aircraft and crew. The methodical approach to the problem assessment, decision-making and utilisation of ATC assistance is a good illustration of best-practice emergency management.
The unintended and sudden in-flight separation of cowlings or other airframe components has the potential to interfere with aircraft controllability, engine operation, or – in the worst-case scenario – cause pilot incapacitation should the components forcefully enter the cockpit through the windshield.
Maintenance attention and airworthiness inspections must have regard to the security and ongoing mechanical condition of all cowlings, panels and their fixtures.
About this report
Decisions regarding whether to conduct an investigation, and the scope of an investigation, are based on many factors, including the level of safety benefit likely to be obtained from an investigation. For this occurrence, no investigation has been conducted and the ATSB did not verify the accuracy of the information. A brief description has been written using information supplied in the notification and any follow-up information in order to produce a short summary report, and allow for greater industry awareness of potential safety issues and possible safety actions.
[1] PAN PAN: an internationally recognised radio call announcing an urgency condition which concerns the safety of an aircraft or its occupants but where the flight crew does not require immediate assistance.