What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 6/19/24 pga tower reported the following:
"Aircraft squawked emrg at FL210 and started a rapid descent and southbound turn toward the pga airport. From this point until landing, the aircraft did not communicate with ATC. Upon landing safely, the pilot contacted zdv and informed us that his windshield disintegrated. 06/19/2024 0103Z"
Pilot stated he had an uneventful departure out of khnd at 6:03PM PDT. During level cruise flight at FL210 pilot stated he felt the force of an explosive decompression with no prior warning. Pilot donned his O2 mask and initiated an emergency descent, squawked 7700, and diverted to kpga. Pilot stated his watch measured the noise level to be 117DB so he was unable to communicate with ATC. Pilot landed at kpga without further incident. At this time it is not known why the windshield failed. Pilot stated after release from NTSB he had multiple A&P mechanics look at the damage and they could not determine the cause of the windshield failure either.
As the FAA filed it
ON 6/19/24 PGA TOWER REPORTED THE FOLLOWING:
"AIRCRAFT SQUAWKED EMRG AT FL210 AND STARTED A RAPID DESCENT AND SOUTHBOUND TURN TOWARD THE PGA AIRPORT. FROM THIS POINT UNTIL LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT COMMUNICATE WITH ATC. UPON LANDING SAFELY, THE PILOT CONTACTED ZDV AND INFORMED US THAT HIS WINDSHIELD DISINTEGRATED. 06/19/2024 0103Z"
PILOT STATED HE HAD AN UNEVENTFUL DEPARTURE OUT OF KHND AT 6:03PM PDT. DURING LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT AT FL210 PILOT STATED HE FELT THE FORCE OF AN EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. PILOT DONNED HIS O2 MASK AND INITIATED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT, SQUAWKED 7700, AND DIVERTED TO KPGA. PILOT STATED HIS WATCH MEASURED THE NOISE LEVEL TO BE 117DB SO HE WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ATC. PILOT LANDED AT KPGA WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AT THIS TIME IT IS NOT KNOWN WHY THE WINDSHIELD FAILED. PILOT STATED AFTER RELEASE FROM NTSB HE HAD MULTIPLE A&P MECHANICS LOOK AT THE DAMAGE AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE WINDSHIELD FAILURE EITHER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.