Cockpit window failure
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 32
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From: UK
Cockpit window failure
A friend of mine encountered a shattered B window recently in IMC at 10000ft at 250kts.
Thoughts initially were a bird as there was an impact noise but there were no signs of bird debris on the exterior of the aircraft.
Thoughts as to what caused it (ice, failure?)??
Thoughts initially were a bird as there was an impact noise but there were no signs of bird debris on the exterior of the aircraft.
Thoughts as to what caused it (ice, failure?)??
Joined: Aug 1998
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 6,623
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From: Ex-pat Aussie in the UK
I've had two windows break in 737 cockpits. The second one, I watched happen:
It started with arcing in the internal heating element within the window. It looked like a tissue which has been touched on the other side by a lit cigarette - an expanding ring of bright red, crawling outwards. I turned off the window heat for that window and it immediately stopped, however the heat that had already been produced turned the centre of the burn area a milky white as the heat affected the Perspex. A small blister then formed and the glass layer almost immediately shattered with a bang.
It started with arcing in the internal heating element within the window. It looked like a tissue which has been touched on the other side by a lit cigarette - an expanding ring of bright red, crawling outwards. I turned off the window heat for that window and it immediately stopped, however the heat that had already been produced turned the centre of the burn area a milky white as the heat affected the Perspex. A small blister then formed and the glass layer almost immediately shattered with a bang.
Aviator Extraordinaire
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,396
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From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA
I've had two failures as well, both were the outer pane, one on a 727 and the other a Sabre 80. Both were at cruise altitude in the mid 30s.
I also had a mechanic (engineer) blow both outer windshields out of a Westwind during a routine maintenance check. The maintenance company paid for that repair.
I also had a mechanic (engineer) blow both outer windshields out of a Westwind during a routine maintenance check. The maintenance company paid for that repair.
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,218
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From: USA
I recently had a window on a Cessna 421 fail and blow out under pressurization during a night flight with a student. The general consensus was that this type of failure has a history in the 421, and it stemmed from a manufacturing defect. The replacement windscreens are thicker and don't come pre-drilled like the original. As a precaution, both forward windscreen halves were replaced.
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 253
Likes: 1
From: Europe
Recently had a small crack appear on a 319 window. This small crack quickly resulted in a large bang. A minute or so later we got the ecam windshield fail caution.
Even though the window cracked before we received the ecam warning we think it was actually the windshield heat failing which resulted in the cracked windshield.
Ecam was apperantly playing catch up, just like it does with hot brakes etc.
Even though the window cracked before we received the ecam warning we think it was actually the windshield heat failing which resulted in the cracked windshield.
Ecam was apperantly playing catch up, just like it does with hot brakes etc.
