# NTSB ATL06IA071: Beech C90A, N90CH, Raleigh, NC, April 27, 2006 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: April 27, 2006, 14:25 local (18:25 UTC) - Place: Raleigh, NC - Coordinates: 35.883056, -78.790275 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8831&lon=-78.7903&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 26, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Greensboro FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 63591 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL06IA071 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63591/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL06IA071 ## Probable cause The inadequate manufacturing process, which resulted in a windshield fire and subsequent emergency landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Fire, cruise - normal - window,flight compartment window/windshield - fire - procedure inadequate, manufacturer (cause) - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, emergency descent/landing ## Analysis While in cruise flight at 17,000 feet, the pilot smelled smoke. A few seconds later, flames and smoke started shooting out of the lower left windshield. The pilot turned off the windshield heat, and the flames went out, but the smoke persisted. The pilot declared an emergency with air traffic controllers, diverted, and landed the airplane safely. Examination of the airplane found scorch marks and soot on the left windshield near the terminal block. The damaged windshield was shipped to the manufacturer, PPG Industries, Inc., for further examination. Examination revealed the unit showed a condition similar to other units that were found to have overheated blocks during late 1996 and early 1997. These blocks were subject to a joint investigation by Raytheon Aircraft Company and PPG during 1997. That investigation identified the root cause of the terminal block overheating, relating to the manufacturing process. The manufacturing process was corrected by PPG in August 1996. Raytheon issued Safety Communiqué No. 134, describing the events, part numbers affected, and procedures to perform in case of such an event. These procedures were added to the FAA-approved airplane operating handbook in June 1997. The damaged windshield from this incident was one of the windshields manufactured just before the manufacturing process was corrected. ## Factual narrative On April 27, 2006, at 1425 eastern daylight time, a Beech C90A, N90CH, registered to Chartco, LLC, and operated by Carolina Air Charter, Inc., as a 14 CFR Part 91 corporate flight, encountered a windshield deicing mechanism fire in the cockpit while in cruise flight from Concord, North Carolina, to Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles, Virginia. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The pilot and the two passengers reported no injuries, and the airplane received minor damage. The flight originated from the Concord Regional Airport, Concord, North Carolina on April 27, 2006, at 1331. According to the pilot, while in cruise flight at 17,000 feet, he smelled smoke. He stated that, a few seconds later, flames and smoke started shooting out of the lower left windshield. The pilot stated he believed it was the windshield heat unit, so he turned off the windshield heat, and the flames went out, but the smoke persisted. The pilot declared an emergency with air traffic controllers and diverted to Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Raleigh, North Carolina. The airplane landed safely, and the pilot and passengers deplaned on the tarmac. Examination of the airplane found scorch marks and soot on the left windshield near the terminal block. The damaged windshield was shipped to PPG Industries, Inc., for further examination. Examination revealed the unit showed a condition similar to other units that were found to have overheated blocks during late 1996 and early 1997. These blocks were subject to a joint investigation by Raytheon Aircraft Company and PPG during 1997. That investigation identified the root cause of the terminal block overheating, relating to the manufacturing process. The manufacturing process was corrected by PPG in August 1996. Raytheon issued Safety Communiqué No. 134, describing the events, part numbers affected, and procedures to perform in case of such an event. These procedures were added to the FAA-approved airplane operating handbook in June 1997. The damaged windshield from this incident was one of the windshields manufactured just prior to the correction of the manufacturer process. ## Aircraft - Registration: N90CH (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Beech C90A - Category: Airplane - Serial number: LJ-1445 - Airframe hours: 2678 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-21 550 horsepower turbo prop; Pratt & Whitney PT6A-21 550 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Minor damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Executive/Corporate, Part 91 - Operator: Carolina Air Charter, Inv, doing business as Carolina Air Charter, Inc. - Registered owner: Chartco LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, April 1, 2006, 21 hours before - Departed: JQF, Concord, NC - Destination: IAD, Washington, DC - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KRDU, Raleigh-Durham International ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 2,960 total, 200 in this make and model, 2,100 as pilot in command, 95 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 3 knots - Visibility: 2 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,200 ft broken - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: KRDU ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20060427009799I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060427009799I), Apr 27, 2006: Beech C90A, Raleigh-Durham, NC. (-23) At about 40 NM north of rdu airport, at 17,000 altitude, pilot noted smoke from behind the instrument panel. Panel pulled away and smoke developed to… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.