Narrative:

Descending from altitude turbulence occurred that was not forecasted. A complete WX briefing was obtained through the duat service prior to flight. The turbulence caused a cargo load to shift. With the movement of the cargo a pipe contacted the rear window of the small transport twin aircraft causing it to crack. The noise alerted me to the window. There were not any adverse effects on the flight characteristics of the aircraft. A normal landing followed. Poor judgement was made when I assumed that severe turbulence will only be encountered if it's forecasted. Turbulence can occur anytime, anywhere and the lack of forecasting it in a WX briefing should not lead one to dismiss it. A recommendation is also made in using a cargo tarp instead of a cargo net to secure a load. Netting can still allow smaller pieces to slip through where as a tarp is more likely to secure everything under it. Most cargo runs are time critical. Customers pay a great deal of money to transport their cargo, and they do so because they need it there immediately. This, consequently, places added stress on the pilot to perform his job expeditiously.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF ATX SMT CARGO ACFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB CAUSING THE CARGO TO SHIFT AND BREAK THE REAR CABIN WINDOW.

Narrative: DSNDING FROM ALT TURB OCCURRED THAT WAS NOT FORECASTED. A COMPLETE WX BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED THROUGH THE DUAT SVC PRIOR TO FLT. THE TURB CAUSED A CARGO LOAD TO SHIFT. WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE CARGO A PIPE CONTACTED THE REAR WINDOW OF THE SMT TWIN ACFT CAUSING IT TO CRACK. THE NOISE ALERTED ME TO THE WINDOW. THERE WERE NOT ANY ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE FLT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ACFT. A NORMAL LNDG FOLLOWED. POOR JUDGEMENT WAS MADE WHEN I ASSUMED THAT SEVERE TURB WILL ONLY BE ENCOUNTERED IF IT'S FORECASTED. TURB CAN OCCUR ANYTIME, ANYWHERE AND THE LACK OF FORECASTING IT IN A WX BRIEFING SHOULD NOT LEAD ONE TO DISMISS IT. A RECOMMENDATION IS ALSO MADE IN USING A CARGO TARP INSTEAD OF A CARGO NET TO SECURE A LOAD. NETTING CAN STILL ALLOW SMALLER PIECES TO SLIP THROUGH WHERE AS A TARP IS MORE LIKELY TO SECURE EVERYTHING UNDER IT. MOST CARGO RUNS ARE TIME CRITICAL. CUSTOMERS PAY A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY TO TRANSPORT THEIR CARGO, AND THEY DO SO BECAUSE THEY NEED IT THERE IMMEDIATELY. THIS, CONSEQUENTLY, PLACES ADDED STRESS ON THE PLT TO PERFORM HIS JOB EXPEDITIOUSLY.

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.