Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hopkensville, Kentucky 42240
Sunday, November 17, 1996 17:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The crew had just selected the windshield heat on, when smoke began to fill the airplane. After the windshield heat was turned off the smoke subsided. The flightcrew declared an emergency, and made an emergency evacuation of the airplane after landing. Postflight examination of the airplane revealed that electrical arcing was occurring on the copilots windshield at the low power heating element's terminal block. Additional testing revealed that the chemicals used to bond the terminal block during the windshield's manufacture had recently been changed due to EPA regulations, and were incompatible with the braided wire in the windshield.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the materials used in the new windshield, to meet new EPA requirements, were inadequate for the design.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 11/17/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HOPKENSVILLE
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42240
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 16
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5038
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 18 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N841SK
NTSB Number CHI97IA029
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 1900D
Aircraft Series Identifier 1900D
Aircraft Serial Number UE-84
Certified Max Gross Weight 16590
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Oct 28 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 122
Airframe Hours 6608
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ASTRAL AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4792 SOUTH HOWELL AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City MILWAUKEE
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53207
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKYWAY AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code S2YA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MKE
Departure City MILWAUKEE
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IND
Destination City INDIANAPOLIS
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --