Narrative:

On dec/xa/00, air carrier flight XXX (lax-ZZZ) aircraft tail xyz (a B737-300) experienced an L-1 window shattered en route. Upon inspection of window it was found to be unsvcable. L-1 windscreen replacement begins. 2 maintenance assigned, myself and another technician. After 4 hours of work time, the old window was removed and I stayed on window remove and install while other technician was snapped with shift change. The window was replaced and sealer was installed. A new window heat controller also was installed and tested with new L-1 window. All checked normal. Per maintenance manual, the aircraft was returned to service with a deferral on speed tape over not cured sealer. The temperature at sealer application was approximately 40 degrees F. The aircraft departed pdx bound for lax at approximately XA40 (ferry equipment repos). On climb out at 15000 ft, a loud noise suddenly came from upper portion of L-1 window, accompanied by high pitched air leak from area. Air leak noise silenced when pressure differential reduced below 3.5 psid. Returned to pdx. On inspection, it was found that the protective speed tape was loose/missing and wet sealer was blown out in upper left corner of L-1 window. The window was retorqued and resealed with protective tape, then returned to service. Aircraft returned to revenue flight schedule next day with no more trouble with window air leak.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED AFTER A #1 WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT AND RETURNED TO THE FIELD DUE TO #1 WINDSHIELD PRESSURE LEAK CAUSED BY UNCURED SEALANT.

Narrative: ON DEC/XA/00, ACR FLT XXX (LAX-ZZZ) ACFT TAIL XYZ (A B737-300) EXPERIENCED AN L-1 WINDOW SHATTERED ENRTE. UPON INSPECTION OF WINDOW IT WAS FOUND TO BE UNSVCABLE. L-1 WINDSCREEN REPLACEMENT BEGINS. 2 MAINT ASSIGNED, MYSELF AND ANOTHER TECHNICIAN. AFTER 4 HRS OF WORK TIME, THE OLD WINDOW WAS REMOVED AND I STAYED ON WINDOW REMOVE AND INSTALL WHILE OTHER TECHNICIAN WAS SNAPPED WITH SHIFT CHANGE. THE WINDOW WAS REPLACED AND SEALER WAS INSTALLED. A NEW WINDOW HEAT CONTROLLER ALSO WAS INSTALLED AND TESTED WITH NEW L-1 WINDOW. ALL CHKED NORMAL. PER MAINT MANUAL, THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC WITH A DEFERRAL ON SPD TAPE OVER NOT CURED SEALER. THE TEMP AT SEALER APPLICATION WAS APPROX 40 DEGS F. THE ACFT DEPARTED PDX BOUND FOR LAX AT APPROX XA40 (FERRY EQUIP REPOS). ON CLBOUT AT 15000 FT, A LOUD NOISE SUDDENLY CAME FROM UPPER PORTION OF L-1 WINDOW, ACCOMPANIED BY HIGH PITCHED AIR LEAK FROM AREA. AIR LEAK NOISE SILENCED WHEN PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL REDUCED BELOW 3.5 PSID. RETURNED TO PDX. ON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE PROTECTIVE SPD TAPE WAS LOOSE/MISSING AND WET SEALER WAS BLOWN OUT IN UPPER L CORNER OF L-1 WINDOW. THE WINDOW WAS RETORQUED AND RESEALED WITH PROTECTIVE TAPE, THEN RETURNED TO SVC. ACFT RETURNED TO REVENUE FLT SCHEDULE NEXT DAY WITH NO MORE TROUBLE WITH WINDOW AIR LEAK.

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.