An A320 crew experienced a loose captain's sliding window seal impacting on the aircraft's frame.

Attributes
ACN	641315
Time
Date	200412
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 18000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 135 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 4400
ASRS Report	641315
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During descent into tpa, there was a sudden rattling sound on the captain's sliding window. We thought we hit something and reported what looked like a string flapping around on the window. After landing at tpa, I called maintenance and reported that it turned out to be sealant from the captain's windshield that was flapping around. The sealant appeared to be uncured. Maintenance could not find any record of windshield work having been done on that airplane. The sealant sure looked like fresh stuff. My big concern is that if work is being done, I should be able to find out about it. I don't like being kept in the dark about the maintenance history of my machine. Had I been able to determine that window work had been done it would have made my decision process a lot more sound. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the captain stated that maintenance was unable to provide information beyond what was in the logbook. The crew did not receive any further follow up. This crew member's best guess from just looking at the seal is that it was new and had not been allowed to cure sufficiently. This flight was the aircraft's final of the day so that maintenance was able to work on it overnight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW EXPERIENCED A LOOSE CAPT'S SLIDING WINDOW SEAL IMPACTING ON THE ACFT'S FRAME.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO TPA, THERE WAS A SUDDEN RATTLING SOUND ON THE CAPT'S SLIDING WINDOW. WE THOUGHT WE HIT SOMETHING AND RPTED WHAT LOOKED LIKE A STRING FLAPPING AROUND ON THE WINDOW. AFTER LNDG AT TPA, I CALLED MAINT AND RPTED THAT IT TURNED OUT TO BE SEALANT FROM THE CAPT'S WINDSHIELD THAT WAS FLAPPING AROUND. THE SEALANT APPEARED TO BE UNCURED. MAINT COULD NOT FIND ANY RECORD OF WINDSHIELD WORK HAVING BEEN DONE ON THAT AIRPLANE. THE SEALANT SURE LOOKED LIKE FRESH STUFF. MY BIG CONCERN IS THAT IF WORK IS BEING DONE, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT. I DON'T LIKE BEING KEPT IN THE DARK ABOUT THE MAINT HISTORY OF MY MACHINE. HAD I BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT WINDOW WORK HAD BEEN DONE IT WOULD HAVE MADE MY DECISION PROCESS A LOT MORE SOUND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT STATED THAT MAINT WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE INFO BEYOND WHAT WAS IN THE LOGBOOK. THE CREW DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FURTHER FOLLOW UP. THIS CREW MEMBER'S BEST GUESS FROM JUST LOOKING AT THE SEAL IS THAT IT WAS NEW AND HAD NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO CURE SUFFICIENTLY. THIS FLT WAS THE ACFT'S FINAL OF THE DAY SO THAT MAINT WAS ABLE TO WORK ON IT OVERNIGHT.

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.