Small aircraft on training flight practicing spins has wind screen separate. Return to aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	160001
Time
Date	199010
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fxe
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 3000 agl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fxe tower : hpn
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 1775 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	160001
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 1330
ASRS Report	160010
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Purpose of flight was to practice flight maneuver (commercial) and spin training. After performing commercial movements to allow enough fuel to burn, spin training was performed. Careful consideration of weight and balance was performed to ensure aircraft would be within specified limitations. Spins were then done to the left and to the right. On the sixth and final spin the wind screen broke and separated from the aircraft. The aircraft was leveled off at approximately 3000-4000' AGL, and no other damage was apparent. Full power was applied and required to maintain altitude. Thereafter, aircraft was turned toward fxe tower. Fxe tower was advised of the situation and aircraft was safely landed west/O incident. At that time local FSDO was notified of the occurrence. Once wind screen was separated airspeed was below va and no noticeable load forces were felt. A bird strike may have been possible. Inspection of entire aircraft while on the ground revealed no visible defects other than the wind screen. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states there was no indication of what caused failure. FAA baffled. Had it happened during recovery, might have thought excessive G forces, but it occurred just prior. Difficult to fly, requiring full power and had some tail buffet so needed caution on pitch changes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON TRAINING FLT PRACTICING SPINS HAS WIND SCREEN SEPARATE. RETURN TO ACFT.

Narrative: PURPOSE OF FLT WAS TO PRACTICE FLT MANEUVER (COMMERCIAL) AND SPIN TRNING. AFTER PERFORMING COMMERCIAL MOVEMENTS TO ALLOW ENOUGH FUEL TO BURN, SPIN TRNING WAS PERFORMED. CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF WT AND BAL WAS PERFORMED TO ENSURE ACFT WOULD BE WITHIN SPECIFIED LIMITATIONS. SPINS WERE THEN DONE TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT. ON THE SIXTH AND FINAL SPIN THE WIND SCREEN BROKE AND SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. THE ACFT WAS LEVELED OFF AT APPROX 3000-4000' AGL, AND NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS APPARENT. FULL PWR WAS APPLIED AND REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN ALT. THEREAFTER, ACFT WAS TURNED TOWARD FXE TWR. FXE TWR WAS ADVISED OF THE SITUATION AND ACFT WAS SAFELY LANDED W/O INCIDENT. AT THAT TIME LCL FSDO WAS NOTIFIED OF THE OCCURRENCE. ONCE WIND SCREEN WAS SEPARATED AIRSPD WAS BELOW VA AND NO NOTICEABLE LOAD FORCES WERE FELT. A BIRD STRIKE MAY HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. INSPECTION OF ENTIRE ACFT WHILE ON THE GND REVEALED NO VISIBLE DEFECTS OTHER THAN THE WIND SCREEN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF WHAT CAUSED FAILURE. FAA BAFFLED. HAD IT HAPPENED DURING RECOVERY, MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT EXCESSIVE G FORCES, BUT IT OCCURRED JUST PRIOR. DIFFICULT TO FLY, REQUIRING FULL PWR AND HAD SOME TAIL BUFFET SO NEEDED CAUTION ON PITCH CHANGES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.