What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft was climbing through 23,400 feet to 25,000 feet when the co-pilot's windshield popped. The outer glass lamination crazed, preventing visibility through it. The inner glass remained intact, however tiny shards of glass were found on the panel, apparently from the perimeter of the inner glass. The windshield heat was on from the ground up. No ice was present during the flight. Cabin pressure was as specified, at the maximum pressure which is 4.5 PSI. The windshield heat was working properly, without overheating. The pilot declared an emergency, initiated a descent, and requested ATC directions to an airport with a minimum 5000 foot runway. Evv was selected. The flight proceded to evv and landed without further incident. The pilot instructed the co-pilot to vacate his seat in case the fractured windshield failed. The aircraft was not de-pressurized. Aircraft records indicate that this windshield is the original, with a total time of 8656 hours. The pilot side windshield has been replaced three times. In July of 2010, the aircraft completed a phase three inspection where the windshield bolts were retorqued. In January 2011, a phase two inspection was completed, requiring a visual inspection of the windshield. The pilot stated that no scratches or delamination were observed on the pre-flight inspection.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 23,400 FEET TO 25,000 FEET WHEN THE CO-PILOT'S WINDSHIELD POPPED. THE OUTER GLASS LAMINATION CRAZED, PREVENTING VISIBILITY THROUGH IT. THE INNER GLASS REMAINED INTACT, HOWEVER TINY SHARDS OF GLASS WERE FOUND ON THE PANEL, APPARENTLY FROM THE PERIMETER OF THE INNER GLASS. THE WINDSHIELD HEAT WAS ON FROM THE GROUND UP. NO ICE WAS PRESENT DURING THE FLIGHT. CABIN PRESSURE WAS AS SPECIFIED, AT THE MAXIMUM PRESSURE WHICH IS 4.5 PSI. THE WINDSHIELD HEAT WAS WORKING PROPERLY, WITHOUT OVERHEATING. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, INITIATED A DESCENT, AND REQUESTED ATC DIRECTIONS TO AN AIRPORT WITH A MINIMUM 5000 FOOT RUNWAY. EVV WAS SELECTED. THE FLIGHT PROCEDED TO EVV AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PILOT INSTRUCTED THE CO-PILOT TO VACATE HIS SEAT IN CASE THE FRACTURED WINDSHIELD FAILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT DE-PRESSURIZED.AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATE THAT THIS WINDSHIELD IS THE ORIGINAL, WITH A TOTAL TIME OF 8656 HOURS. THE PILOT SIDE WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. IN JULY OF 2010, THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED A PHASE THREE INSPECTION WHERE THE WINDSHIELD BOLTS WERE RETORQUED. IN JANUARY 2011, A PHASE TWO INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED, REQUIRING A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT NO SCRATCHES OR DELAMINATION WERE OBSERVED ON THE PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.