Service difficulty report · Windshield · Pilats PC1245

Difficulty date
March 3, 2016
Submitted
March 7, 2016
Operation
General aviation
Filed by
ESMR688D
Epps Air Service LLC
Aircraft
N401SM
Make and model
Pilats PC1245
Aircraft serial
255
Aircraft time
6,500 hours, 5,942 cycles
Engine
Pwa PT6A67B
Engine time
6,353 hours, 5,776 cycles
Propeller
Hartzl HCE4A3D
Part
Windshield
Condition
Cracked
Location
Cockpit
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
A

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT WITH 2 PASSENGERS, AT 16,000 FT THE COPILOT SIDE WINDOW OUTER LAYER CRACKED. WE WERE IN IMC CONDITIONS FOR THE ENTIRE FLIGHT WITH SOME RAIN AND LIGHT SNOW. THE CRACKING WAS PRECEEDED BY SOME ELECTRICAL ARCING ON THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD SIDE. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY AND DIVERT TO THE CLOSEST AIRPORT. DESCENDED AND FLEW THE ILS 6 APPROACH INTO AIRPORT UNEVENTFULLY.