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First officer's windshield shatter when leveling off at FL370. Immediate descent was made and a diversion to a nearby suitable airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 533612 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200112 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : apa.airport |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Falcon 50 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 533612 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : co plt windshield other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | faa : investigated other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Departed ase and after leveling off at cruise altitude of FL370, the copilot's windshield shattered instantly. Both crew members put on oxygen masks and we initiated an emergency descent. The first officer (PNF) told ZDV we had a broken windshield and needed to divert to apa (about 30 NM away). The controller said to maintain present heading. On our way down, denver handed us off to another sector. This controller asked what altitude we had been cleared to and the PNF stated FL240. She then cleared us to a lower altitude into apa. During the initial part of the descent, I expected the PNF to declare an emergency. Due to high workload the actual declaration of the emergency, we later determined, was not accomplished. Also I (PF) do not remember being cleared to FL240. Although a shattered cockpit windshield implies an emergency situation (certainly at FL370), making sure an emergency was declared would have allowed ATC to positively clear the airspace needed for an emergency descent.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FO'S WINDSHIELD SHATTER WHEN LEVELING OFF AT FL370. IMMEDIATE DSCNT WAS MADE AND A DIVERSION TO A NEARBY SUITABLE ARPT.
Narrative: DEPARTED ASE AND AFTER LEVELING OFF AT CRUISE ALT OF FL370, THE COPLT'S WINDSHIELD SHATTERED INSTANTLY. BOTH CREW MEMBERS PUT ON OXYGEN MASKS AND WE INITIATED AN EMER DSCNT. THE FO (PNF) TOLD ZDV WE HAD A BROKEN WINDSHIELD AND NEEDED TO DIVERT TO APA (ABOUT 30 NM AWAY). THE CTLR SAID TO MAINTAIN PRESENT HEADING. ON OUR WAY DOWN, DENVER HANDED US OFF TO ANOTHER SECTOR. THIS CTLR ASKED WHAT ALT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO AND THE PNF STATED FL240. SHE THEN CLRED US TO A LOWER ALT INTO APA. DURING THE INITIAL PART OF THE DSCNT, I EXPECTED THE PNF TO DECLARE AN EMER. DUE TO HIGH WORKLOAD THE ACTUAL DECLARATION OF THE EMER, WE LATER DETERMINED, WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED. ALSO I (PF) DO NOT REMEMBER BEING CLRED TO FL240. ALTHOUGH A SHATTERED COCKPIT WINDSHIELD IMPLIES AN EMER SIT (CERTAINLY AT FL370), MAKING SURE AN EMER WAS DECLARED WOULD HAVE ALLOWED ATC TO POSITIVELY CLR THE AIRSPACE NEEDED FOR AN EMER DSCNT.
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.