Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Owensboro, Kentucky 42301
Sunday, April 25, 2010 16:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While flying at 15,000 feet in the pressurized airplane, the pilot's side window blew out. The pilot successfully diverted to a nearby airport and landed uneventfully after performing an instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions. Postincident examination of the window revealed that the primary fracture, which ultimately resulted in the in-flight loss of the window, exhibited signatures of preexisting cracking. The airframe manufacturer had previously issued a service bulletin that detailed inspections of the window for cracking, and while the cracking observed on the incident window occurred outside of the area called out in the service bulletin, review of the incident airplane's maintenance records showed no evidence that any portion of the service bulletin had ever been complied with.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A failure of the pilot's side window due to undetected cracking around the lower aft portion of the storm window cutout.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/25/2010
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1640
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Owensboro
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42301
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 374419N
Event Location Longitude 0871000W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1656 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID OWB
Elevation of weather observation facility 407
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.39
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28424
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 6 2011 1:07PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N46PT
NTSB Number ERA10IA254
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA 46-350P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 4622108
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
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 T & K LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 501 S TOWANDA-BARNES
Aircraft Owner City BLOOMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 61704
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name T & K LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 501 S TOWANDA-BARNES
Operator City BLOOMINGTON
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 61704
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MDH
Departure City Carbondale
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code INT
Destination City Winston-Salem
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 6 2011 1:08PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --