Aircraft equipment problem. Windscreen spider-webbed.

Attributes
ACN	320971
Time
Date	199510
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bxv
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zob
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	320971
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was flying one of our dornier 328-110's, climbing through 15000 ft at 200 KIAS in clouds, when I heard a loud 'bang.' I looked up to find my entire forward windscreen spider-webbed. There was no mess to indicate a bird strike, and no splinters in the cockpit. We immediately leveled off, decelerated and started to decrease the cabin differential. We then informed ATC we needed to return to the field, which we did without further incident. We did discover that: there is no abnormal or emergency procedure published for this event, and, this is at least the third and perhaps the fifth time this has occurred at our company. As we only have 20 airframes, 5 of which are parked, this seems to be an extreme failure rate. I suspect that there is inadequate tolerance for cold airframe contraction around the heated windscreen. I understand that the glass is supposed to be fail-safe, but if 1 lamination can 'just break,' then so can 2 or 3.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. WINDSCREEN SPIDER-WEBBED.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ONE OF OUR DORNIER 328-110'S, CLBING THROUGH 15000 FT AT 200 KIAS IN CLOUDS, WHEN I HEARD A LOUD 'BANG.' I LOOKED UP TO FIND MY ENTIRE FORWARD WINDSCREEN SPIDER-WEBBED. THERE WAS NO MESS TO INDICATE A BIRD STRIKE, AND NO SPLINTERS IN THE COCKPIT. WE IMMEDIATELY LEVELED OFF, DECELERATED AND STARTED TO DECREASE THE CABIN DIFFERENTIAL. WE THEN INFORMED ATC WE NEEDED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD, WHICH WE DID WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. WE DID DISCOVER THAT: THERE IS NO ABNORMAL OR EMER PROC PUBLISHED FOR THIS EVENT, AND, THIS IS AT LEAST THE THIRD AND PERHAPS THE FIFTH TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED AT OUR COMPANY. AS WE ONLY HAVE 20 AIRFRAMES, 5 OF WHICH ARE PARKED, THIS SEEMS TO BE AN EXTREME FAILURE RATE. I SUSPECT THAT THERE IS INADEQUATE TOLERANCE FOR COLD AIRFRAME CONTRACTION AROUND THE HEATED WINDSCREEN. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE GLASS IS SUPPOSED TO BE FAIL-SAFE, BUT IF 1 LAMINATION CAN 'JUST BREAK,' THEN SO CAN 2 OR 3.

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.