AN F100 FLT CREW EXPERIENCES A CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND IS CONCERNED WITH THE LACK OF INFO IN THE FLT MANUAL.

2003-09 · NASA ASRS report 592591

Date: 2003-09 · Aircraft: Fokker 100 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical

Synopsis

AN F100 FLT CREW EXPERIENCES A CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND IS CONCERNED WITH THE LACK OF INFO IN THE FLT MANUAL.

Narrative

I ALREADY SENT A RPT DUE TO DECLARING AN EMER AND DIVERTING TO ZZZ; BUT I WANTED TO IDENTIFY A SAFETY ISSUE. THE F100 CRACKED WINDOW PROCEDURE IS NOT VERY HELPFUL. AT FL330 IN THE DARK; THE WINDSHIELD ARCED. WE TURNED OFF THE HEAT PER ARCING CHKLIST; THEN WENT TO THE CRACKED WINDOW PROC. FIRST; IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHICH PANE CRACKED. I COULD NOT FEEL THE CRACK; SO I KNEW IT WASN'T THE INNER; BUT THAT WAS ALL I COULD DETERMINE. THE SECOND BULLET SAYS IF INNER OR MIDDLE LAYER IS CRACKED; NO ACTION REQUIRED. DOES THIS REFER ONLY TO THE HEAT AND AIRSPEED MENTIONED ABOVE; OR DOES THIS MEAN OK TO CONTINUE. THE NOTE GOES ON TO SAY THAT THE CENTER PANE IS STRUCTURAL; BUT MENTIONS NOTHING ABOUT LNDG WHEN PRACTICAL. IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE IN THE DARK; THIS IS ALL CONTRADICTORY AND CONFUSING. WHEN WE STARTED TO GET ADDITIONAL CRACKS; WE DECLARED AN EMER WITH ARTCC WHEN WE REQUESTED VECTORS. AND DIVERTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO DETERMINE WHICH LAYER OF THE WINDOW WAS CRACKED. THE MANUAL DID SAY THAT THE MIDDLE LAYER IS STRUCTURAL; BUT THEN HAD NO INFO ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. THE RPTR WOULD LIKE THE CHKLIST TO CONTAIN A WAY TO DETERMINE WHICH LAYER IS CRACKED; THEN HAVE CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT TO DO. AIRSPEEDS TO FOLLOW; AND WHETHER OR NOT TO LAND WOULD BE GOOD INFO TO HAVE IN THE FLT MANUAL.

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

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