GLF-4 CREW RPTED THAT THE R FORWARD OUTER WINDSHIELD SHATTERED IN ZOA PACIFIC OP.

Date: 2002-08 · Aircraft: Gulfstream IV / G350 / G450 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|flight-deck-cabin-aircraft-event-smoke-fire-fumes-odor|other-cockpit-windshield-shattered

Synopsis

GLF-4 CREW RPTED THAT THE R FORWARD OUTER WINDSHIELD SHATTERED IN ZOA PACIFIC OP.

Narrative

WHILE ENRTE FROM HKO-CRQ VIA R577 OF THE HAWAIIAN TRACK ROUTING SYS; THE ACFT I WAS PIC OF EXPERIENCED A SHATTERED FORWARD WINDSHIELD OUTER PANE ON THE R SIDE. AN EMER WAS DECLARED VIA RELAY TO COMRDO AND A DSCNT AND R TURN OFF AIRWAY WAS BEGUN. THE FLT RETURNED TO HKO AT FL290. PERIODIC POS/STATUS RPTS WERE GIVEN TO COMRDO; SATCOM; AND THROUGH ACR Y RELAY. FLT LANDED SAFELY AT HKO 4 HRS 10 MINS AFTER DEP. APPROX 2 HRS AFTER TKOF FROM HKO WAS WHEN THE EMER WAS DECLARED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 558200: I WAS FO; PNF; IN R SEAT. I SMELLED A FAINT ODOR OF ELECTRICAL SMOKE; AND AFTER 20-30 SECONDS THE R FORWARD WINDSCREEN OUTER LAYER SHATTERED. WE DECLARED AN EMER TO ZOA VIA AN ACR Y FLT IN OUR VICINITY; THROUGH COMRDO. WE DSNDED TO FL290; MADE A 180 DEG TURN; OFFSETTING 25 NM FROM OUR OCEANIC TRACK; THEN PROCEEDED DIRECT TO KONA. WE ADVISED ATC OF OUR ACTIONS. WE CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO KONA; USING SEVERAL OTHER AIRLINERS TO RELAY MESSAGES TO ATC SINCE OUR HF RADIO RECEPTION WAS POOR. THESE RELAYS WERE EXTREMELY HELPFUL; ALLOWING US TO CONCENTRATE ON OUR SIT RATHER THAN STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND SCRATCHY HF RADIO XMISSIONS. LNDG IN KONA WAS UNEVENTFUL. MAINT LATER FOUND THE WINDSHIELD HEAT TEMP CONTROLLER HAD FAILED; CAUSING THE WINDOW TO OVERHEAT AND FAIL.

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