What happened
On January 28, 2016, a SAAB SF-340A operated by Sky Taxi sp. z o.o. was performing a repositioning flight from Vigo (LEVX) to Wrocław (EPWR). The flight was carrying a crew of three. Approximately two hours after departure, while cruising at altitude over southwestern France, the crew heard a loud bang inside the cockpit. This sound was caused by the sudden cracking of the front right windshield. The fracture did not result in a loss of cabin pressure.
Following the incident, the crew notified Air Traffic Control and decided to perform a precautionary landing at the nearest suitable airport, Toulouse-Blagnac (LFBO). During the descent, the crew followed the appropriate abnormal checklist procedures. The aircraft landed safely at LFBO.
The investigation
An investigation was conducted by the operator. Upon landing, the pilots and a mechanic traveling on the flight inspected the windshield. The inspection revealed no evidence of an impact with an external object, and the flight was not operating in icing conditions. The mechanic noted that the fracture occurred within the outer layer of the windshield. The component had been installed on the aircraft in 2010. Following the inspection, the windshield was replaced, and the aircraft was returned to service.
Findings
- The fracture was localized to the outer layer of the cockpit windshield.
- There were no visible signs of an external impact or bird strike.
- The accumulation of internal stresses within the glass material, leading to a localized concentration of stress that exceeded the material's strength, was identified as the primary cause of the fracture.