Pilot of an small aircraft sel lost the pilot's side window during climb out and returned to land.

Attributes
ACN	365542
Time
Date	199704
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sus
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sus
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	365542
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While in cruise flight, I heard louder than normal 'wind' noise. I thought the pilot's vent window was not closed properly, so I pressed it against pilot's side window glass. 'Wind' noise did not change. I pressed again and entire pilot's window departed aircraft with loud 'bang.' I looked at wing (left) and saw several holes and skin damage in top wing skin, about 24-36 inches from root. I turned back to airport (sus), recontacted tower, declared in-flight emergency, and commenced a ctlability check at 100 KIAS. Aircraft handled ok. I made modified downwind entry and uneventful landing. Suspect adhesive failure of window to air frame bond at leading edge of window. Window was installed 4 months prior and had been flown about 50 hours with no leaks or other problems. Other than excess noise and small hole in skin of aircraft, experienced no handling quality problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL LOST THE PLT'S SIDE WINDOW DURING CLBOUT AND RETURNED TO LAND.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE FLT, I HEARD LOUDER THAN NORMAL 'WIND' NOISE. I THOUGHT THE PLT'S VENT WINDOW WAS NOT CLOSED PROPERLY, SO I PRESSED IT AGAINST PLT'S SIDE WINDOW GLASS. 'WIND' NOISE DID NOT CHANGE. I PRESSED AGAIN AND ENTIRE PLT'S WINDOW DEPARTED ACFT WITH LOUD 'BANG.' I LOOKED AT WING (L) AND SAW SEVERAL HOLES AND SKIN DAMAGE IN TOP WING SKIN, ABOUT 24-36 INCHES FROM ROOT. I TURNED BACK TO ARPT (SUS), RECONTACTED TWR, DECLARED INFLT EMER, AND COMMENCED A CTLABILITY CHK AT 100 KIAS. ACFT HANDLED OK. I MADE MODIFIED DOWNWIND ENTRY AND UNEVENTFUL LNDG. SUSPECT ADHESIVE FAILURE OF WINDOW TO AIR FRAME BOND AT LEADING EDGE OF WINDOW. WINDOW WAS INSTALLED 4 MONTHS PRIOR AND HAD BEEN FLOWN ABOUT 50 HRS WITH NO LEAKS OR OTHER PROBS. OTHER THAN EXCESS NOISE AND SMALL HOLE IN SKIN OF ACFT, EXPERIENCED NO HANDLING QUALITY PROBS.

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.