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An A320 flight's outer cockpit window pane shatters at FL370. Crew descends to FL230, reducing cabin pressure and asking for minimum fuel status for continuation of flight to iad, va.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 595635 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200310 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | OK |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 595635 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment other |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
In cruise, with no indications, the outer pane of the captain's windshield cracked over more than 3/4 of the total area. As a precaution, we donned oxygen masks, descended with ATC concurrence to FL230 per the limits in the flight manual, turned on the fasten seatbelts sign, and reduced airspeed. We then contacted dispatch and maintenance control to find out what other actions were required. They informed us that with no damage to the inner pane, there were no restrs. We elected to stay at the lower altitude, and the slower airspeed and continue to iad. We advised ATC that with the lower altitude and reduced airspeed, we would be requesting minimum fuel status. We also followed the procedure for cracked windshield in the flight manual, and reduced the cabin altitude using the manual control of the pressurization system.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 FLT'S OUTER COCKPIT WINDOW PANE SHATTERS AT FL370. CREW DSNDS TO FL230, REDUCING CABIN PRESSURE AND ASKING FOR MINIMUM FUEL STATUS FOR CONTINUATION OF FLT TO IAD, VA.
Narrative: IN CRUISE, WITH NO INDICATIONS, THE OUTER PANE OF THE CAPT'S WINDSHIELD CRACKED OVER MORE THAN 3/4 OF THE TOTAL AREA. AS A PRECAUTION, WE DONNED OXYGEN MASKS, DSNDED WITH ATC CONCURRENCE TO FL230 PER THE LIMITS IN THE FLT MANUAL, TURNED ON THE FASTEN SEATBELTS SIGN, AND REDUCED AIRSPD. WE THEN CONTACTED DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL TO FIND OUT WHAT OTHER ACTIONS WERE REQUIRED. THEY INFORMED US THAT WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE INNER PANE, THERE WERE NO RESTRS. WE ELECTED TO STAY AT THE LOWER ALT, AND THE SLOWER AIRSPD AND CONTINUE TO IAD. WE ADVISED ATC THAT WITH THE LOWER ALT AND REDUCED AIRSPD, WE WOULD BE REQUESTING MINIMUM FUEL STATUS. WE ALSO FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURE FOR CRACKED WINDSHIELD IN THE FLT MANUAL, AND REDUCED THE CABIN ALT USING THE MANUAL CTL OF THE PRESSURIZATION SYS.
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.