While descending en route, window of small aircraft separates from aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	184671
Time
Date	199107
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : evv
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : evv
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
ASRS Report	184671
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed VFR for evv. En route, climbed on top of broken cloud layer. Nearing evv, with evv reporting VFR conditions, requested IFR clearance for descent through broken cloud deck. Cleared by evv RAPCON to 3000. During descent in cloud, the left hand cabin door window partially opened. While leveling the aircraft and reducing speed in preparation to secure window, the door window separated from the door at the hinges and departed the aircraft. While assessing the damage, momentarily descended 300 below assigned altitude. Landed at evv without further incident. Inspected aircraft for further damage and found none. Unable to obtain replacement window, and determined that flight without window could be conducted safely, as aircraft is authorized flight door removed and/or window open, continued to next stop where repairs/replacement window could be obtained.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE DSNDING ENRTE, WINDOW OF SMA SEPARATES FROM ACFT.

Narrative: DEPARTED VFR FOR EVV. ENRTE, CLBED ON TOP OF BKN CLOUD LAYER. NEARING EVV, WITH EVV RPTING VFR CONDITIONS, REQUESTED IFR CLRNC FOR DSCNT THROUGH BKN CLOUD DECK. CLRED BY EVV RAPCON TO 3000. DURING DSCNT IN CLOUD, THE L HAND CABIN DOOR WINDOW PARTIALLY OPENED. WHILE LEVELING THE ACFT AND REDUCING SPD IN PREPARATION TO SECURE WINDOW, THE DOOR WINDOW SEPARATED FROM THE DOOR AT THE HINGES AND DEPARTED THE ACFT. WHILE ASSESSING THE DAMAGE, MOMENTARILY DSNDED 300 BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. LANDED AT EVV WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. INSPECTED ACFT FOR FURTHER DAMAGE AND FOUND NONE. UNABLE TO OBTAIN REPLACEMENT WINDOW, AND DETERMINED THAT FLT WITHOUT WINDOW COULD BE CONDUCTED SAFELY, AS ACFT IS AUTHORIZED FLT DOOR REMOVED AND/OR WINDOW OPEN, CONTINUED TO NEXT STOP WHERE REPAIRS/REPLACEMENT WINDOW COULD BE OBTAINED.

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.