PLT OF A PVT TURBO COMMANDER 980 HEARD A LOUD BANG AND NOTICED THE R WINDSHIELD CRACK INTO SEVERAL FISSURES WHILE CRUISING AT FL280. AFTER DSNDING TO 12000 FT; RPTR DIVERTED TO HIS HOME BASE WHICH WAS MUCH FURTHER DISTANCE THAN HIS ORIGINAL DEST.

Date: 1998-03 · Aircraft: Turbo Commander 980 (Jetprop)

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|other-unspecified

Synopsis

PLT OF A PVT TURBO COMMANDER 980 HEARD A LOUD BANG AND NOTICED THE R WINDSHIELD CRACK INTO SEVERAL FISSURES WHILE CRUISING AT FL280. AFTER DSNDING TO 12000 FT; RPTR DIVERTED TO HIS HOME BASE WHICH WAS MUCH FURTHER DISTANCE THAN HIS ORIGINAL DEST.

Narrative

WBOUND AT FL280 IN MY TURBO COMMANDER AC6T; ABOUT 50 NM N OF TOL; I HEARD A LOUD BANG (LIKE A RIFLE SHOT) AND SAW MY R WINDSHIELD CRACK INTO SEVERAL FISSURES. NO LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION WAS EXPERIENCED AS ONLY THE OUTER OF 3 LAYERS CRACKED. I ADVISED ATC AND ASKED FOR A DSCNT TO 12000 FT SO THAT I COULD DEPRESSURIZE. CTR ACCOMMODATED MY REQUEST IMMEDIATELY AND I CONDUCTED A SLOW DSCNT AND DEPRESSURIZATION. I ASKED ATC TO MAKE A PHONE CALL TO MY MAINT SHOP IN PWM TO ASK FOR THE NAME OF A NEARBY TWIN COMMANDER SVC CTR. CTR PASSED ON HIS SUGGESTION OF PIA; SEVERAL HUNDRED MI TO THE SW. I ASKED CTR TO CALL TOL AND CONFIRM THAT THEY TOO WERE A SVC CTR. THEY CALLED AND ADVISED THAT THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE FBO AT TOL WAS NOT A SVC CTR. GIVEN THE 75 KT WESTERLY WINDFLOW I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING; I ELECTED TO FLY THE 2 HR TRIP TO PWM FOR REPAIR. I WRITE BECAUSE OF MY CONCERN THAT; IN NOT LNDG IMMEDIATELY; MY JUDGEMENT WAS SOMEHOW NOT SOUND. ALTHOUGH MY FIRST IMPULSE WAS TO LAND AT THE FIRST AVAILABLE ARPT; MY THINKING CLRED A BIT AFTER THE ADRENALIN RUSH SUBSIDED. I REASONED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS STABLE AND WOULD NOT LIKELY REMAIN THAT WAY IF THE AIRPLANE WAS UNPRESSURIZED. I ALSO WORRIED THAT IF I LANDED AT A FIELD WHERE THE SHOP HAD LITTLE EXPERTISE WITH THIS ACFT; THAT THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF A NEW WINDSHIELD MIGHT RESULT IN A SIT LESS SAFE THAN THE CURRENT ONE. HAD I KNOWN OF A TWIN COMMANDER SVC CTR IN THE AREA; I WOULD HAVE LANDED THERE; NO QUESTION. IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT INFO; I THINK I DID THE RIGHT THING. HOWEVER; I WILL SURELY CARRY A LIST OF TWIN COMMANDER SVC CTRS IN THE AIRPLANE IN THE FUTURE.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.