20130514008249I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-34-220T · Allentown, PA · May 14, 2013

Date: May 14, 2013 · 17:38 local
Place: Allentown, PA
Airport: Lehigh Valley International
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N4354K
Reported as: Piper PA-34-220T
Reported engine: Continental TSIO-360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 420 total120 in this make and model13 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

While enroute ttn - bdr at 4.000 feet 12 miles southeast of abe pilot experienced a whistling coming from the left front window. Pilot noticed a crack in the window going from the small window/door in the left front side window to the forward edge at about 30 degrees. At that time the pilot stated he decreased airspeed to 110 knots indicated and heard several pops and noticed additional cracks in the same area. A large portion of the window then broke and departed the aircraft striking the leading edge of the left horizontal stabilator denting it and damaging the de-ice boot. Pilot notified ATC of the situation and diverted to abe without further incident.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE ENROUTE TTN - BDR AT 4.000 FEET 12 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ABE PILOT EXPERIENCED A WHISTLING COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT WINDOW. PILOT NOTICED A CRACK IN THE WINDOW GOING FROM THE SMALL WINDOW/DOOR IN THE LEFT FRONT SIDE WINDOW TO THE FORWARD EDGE AT ABOUT 30 DEGREES. AT THAT TIME THE PILOT STATED HE DECREASED AIRSPEED TO 110 KNOTS INDICATED AND HEARD SEVERAL POPS AND NOTICED ADDITIONAL CRACKS IN THE SAME AREA. A LARGE PORTION OF THE WINDOW THEN BROKE AND DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT STRIKING THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILATOR DENTING IT AND DAMAGING THE DE-ICE BOOT. PILOT NOTIFIED ATC OF THE SITUATION AND DIVERTED TO ABE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.