The windshield panels in front of the pilots must be arranged so that, assuming the loss of vision through any one panel, one or more panels remain available for use by a pilot seated at a pilot station to permit continued safe flight and landing.
Or observing vegetation…
Not precisely on-subject, but these two accidents have stuck in my head since I first read the reports ages ago. This thread reminded me of them. When you’re trying to find the localizer and foliage appears outside your window, well, that’s probably a surprise...
January l2 1937, Newhall, California (just southeast of the Magic Mountain area in Los Angeles County), a Western Air Express Boeing 247B descending into Burbank:
The pilot stated that when the range signals came on, he heard three distinct Ns and realized that he was east of his course and probably over the higher mountains to the southeast of Saugus and east of Newhall pass. According to the testimony of the pilot, he immediately started a turn in order to get over lower terrain and back on course. At almost the same moment, he stated that he sighted two bushes out of the left window which was open and knew that a collision with the ground was imminent. (Original US CAA report of 12 May 1937 does not carry a File Number)
Yup. It was.
January 5, 1941, in almost exactly the same place as the other accident, a United Airlines Lockheed Loadstar also descending into Burbank:
The captain later stated that he became concerned over the situation, especially since he did not receive a signal from the Newhall Pass Fan Marker, and that he then thought it advisable to discontinue the instrument let-down. He had by this time leveled out at 4500 feet. He glanced out the window and saw something dark which, he subsequently stated, he thought was a break. He glanced at the altimeter which read, so he states, 4200 feet and pulled the nose up. He opened his side window for better vision but could see nothing. He then looked ahead and, at that instant, saw a tree in line with the left motor, just as the aircraft struck it with the left propeller and landing gear. He pulled up rapidly and opened the throttles wide. The first officer raised the landing gear. After the initial zoom and subsequent leveling off, the captain turned right to 270 degrees and held that heading until he had reached an altitude of approximately 5500 feet. He then turned left to 180 degrees and climbed straight ahead until he was on top of the overcast. (US CAA File No. 331-41)
Again, I admit this isn’t a CV window story, but these two accidents always give me shivers…
Dave