Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hebron, Kentucky 41048
Tuesady, December 26, 2000 17:29 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While climbing through 20,000 feet in visual meteorological conditions, the captain's windshield "shattered." The captain did not declare an emergency; the flight returned to the departure airport and landed uneventfully. The damaged windshield (PPG part number NP 139321-5, S/N 99018H7134) was removed from the airplane and initial examination revealed that the center ply was failed. The window was further examined in the presence of representatives of the NTSB, FAA, Bombardier, and PPG, at one PPG's facilities. A report of the damaged windshield prepared by PPG indicates, "The fracture originated 0.20 inch from the bottom edge and 3.8 inches from the center of the forward corner. The origin of the fracture was a peel chip that developed on the outboard surface in the bottom forward corner area. The initiation point of the peel chip damage was located 0.115 inch from the inner edge of the Teflon tape and 0.325 inch from the glass edge." The report also indicates that examination of the peel chip using a microscope, "...did not reveal any surface damage at the peel chip initiation point, nor was there any indication of manufacturing defects." No discrepancies were noted with the anti-ice heating system and sensing elements. Optical distortion check of the damaged window was performed which revealed, "There was no slope-line distortion apparent in the critical vision area. However, facilities were not available to perform a quantitative distortion evaluation." Residual visibility examination could not be performed due to the absence of a standard and prescribed method of evaluation. Manufacturing of windshield S/N 99018H7134 was completed on January 18, 1999; the window was installed in the incident airplane by Comair maintenance personnel on March 27, 1999, to replace the previous window which "shattered while sitting at gate power off." The incident window had accumulated a reported 4,422.8 hours and 4,526 cycles at the time of failure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadequate design of the flight compartment windshield by the windshield manufacturer resulting in cracking of the center ply.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 12/26/2000
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1729
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Hebron
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41048
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 12
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1651 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KCVG
Elevation of weather observation facility 897
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.42
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 53
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11610
NTSB Notification Source Southern Region Opertions High
NTSB Notification Date Dec 27 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 14 2002 9:31AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office AAI-100

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N729CA
NTSB Number MIA01IA051
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Canadair
Aircraft Model CL-600-2B19
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7265
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 50
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name First Union National Bank
Aircraft Owner Street Address 230 S. Tryon St., 9th Floor
Aircraft Owner City Charlotte
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28202
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name COMAIR INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address International Airport P.O. Box 75240
Operator City Cincinnati
Operator State OH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 45275
Operator Code COMA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KCVG
Departure City Hebron
Departure State KY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1719
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KGSP
Destination City Greer
Destination State SC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Climb - to cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 10 2002 12:48PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight --
Air Medical Flight --
Medical Flight --