Air carrier flight crew reported a window arcing/cracked during climb. Crew descended and continued for a normal landing.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported a window arcing/cracked during climb. Crew descended and continued for a normal landing.
Narrative
Upon initial climbout; the right hand side window started arcing. This occurred for few seconds around 7000-8000. We leveled off at 8000 and the captain began to run the QRH checklist for windshield arcing. During the completion of the checklist the side window cracked. We completed the QRH checklist. I continued to have flight controls and was given radio 1 while the captain went on ARINC to contact our dispatcher and chief pilot. We elected to have box vectors and to stay level at 8000. I was not able to be feel the crack from the Inside; and we determined it was the core or the outside that cracked. The decision between the duty pilot; captain; and dispatch was to continue the flight as planned and to monitor our Cabin Alt. We were told that we can climb and continue the flight as normal. The pressure control was in manual and was not responsive to the captains inputs. While trying to keep the cabin altitude lower during our climb; the cabin altitude kept raising at a high rate with the MAN ALT switch to DOWN and MAN RATE at full increase. Around 18;000 feet we got a caution message for Cabin Alt. Moments later; we got Cabin Alt warning. We donned the oxygen masks and ran the CABIN ALT emergency checklist memory items followed by the non memory items and immediately requested lower and started a 4000 fpm descent; to 14000 then to 10000 feet. While in our descent we requested priority handling to ATC for cabin pressure. Upon reaching lower our cabin pressure started eventually decreasing; and the warning and caution message disappeared. The cabin pressure was resumed back to normal and we canceled priority handling with ATC. We continued to monitor our Cabin Alt and stayed at lower altitude for the flight. The cabin pressure controls were still not responsive to the inputs. The rest of the flight went as normal and we conducted a safe landing in ZZZ and were able to get our differential pressure to zero because we shut the packs off. The aircraft was then unpressurized. We did NOT have ARFF (Airport Rescue and Firefighting) or need any extra assistance at the gate. Cause: Side window cracked caused all following events in description.
Second reporter narrative
While on the initial climbout from ZZZZ the side window began arcing. The arc stopped and arced again before the side window cracked. At this point I notified ATC to stop our climb so we could work on our QRH. I handed the radios to the FO while I worked on the QRH. After completing the QRH procedures; we requested box vectors to talk to dispatch. I went on radio 2 to talk to AIRINC to talk with dispatch. After consulting dispatch and the chief pilot; we collectively decided to continue with the pressure panel in manual per the QRH. We continued climbing to FL220. While climbing I was monitoring the cabin altitude and it continued climbing despite me manipulating the pressure panel to attempt to descend the cabin. The differential pressure stayed at 4.6 regardless of an inputs made by me. The cabin altitude eventually reached 10;000 ft and at this point we don our oxygen masks and descended down to 14;000 ft and then eventually down to 10;000 ft. We requested priority handling while descending due to the pressurization problem. After stabilizing at 10;000 ft; the cabin alt was at a more normal altitude and we continued to ZZZ for a normal landing. After stabilizing at 10;000 ft we cancelled priority handling. After landing the pressurization panel was still not working as intended as the outflow valve did not open all the way to depressurize the plane. I proceeded to turn off both packs to attempt to depressurize the airplane. Cause: Windshield Arced and following QRH the manual pressure panel didn't workSuggestions: Better understanding of manual pressure panel and not climbing if the cabin altitude continues climbing
More incidents for this aircraft family →
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.