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PA44 loses its pilot's right window while aircraft was doing unusual attitude maneuvers for a check ride. Window hit the left engine nacelle. Check pilot says the window looked normal on preflight. Window fell in an uninhabited area.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 380264 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199709 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ccr |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : oak |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | PA-44 Seminole Turbo Seminole |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : observer observation : company check pilot |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 40 |
| ASRS Report | 380264 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 380330 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
On sep/xa/97, approximately XA05, I was conducting a flight instructor practical test. While doing unusual attitude maneuvers on the 290 degree radial of ccr, approximately 5.6 NM, the left side pilot window (used as an emergency exit) suddenly broke free from the aircraft (seminole PA44-180). During the preflight the red handle that locks the window/emergency exit in place was locked in its proper position. The safety wire was also attached. The window hit the left engine nacelle putting a small dent in it. It then fell to the terrain below (grazing land, low grass and hilly). There were no buildings within 1 NM of the location where it would have struck the ground.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PA44 LOSES ITS PLT'S R WINDOW WHILE ACFT WAS DOING UNUSUAL ATTITUDE MANEUVERS FOR A CHK RIDE. WINDOW HIT THE L ENG NACELLE. CHK PLT SAYS THE WINDOW LOOKED NORMAL ON PREFLT. WINDOW FELL IN AN UNINHABITED AREA.
Narrative: ON SEP/XA/97, APPROX XA05, I WAS CONDUCTING A FLT INSTRUCTOR PRACTICAL TEST. WHILE DOING UNUSUAL ATTITUDE MANEUVERS ON THE 290 DEG RADIAL OF CCR, APPROX 5.6 NM, THE L SIDE PLT WINDOW (USED AS AN EMER EXIT) SUDDENLY BROKE FREE FROM THE ACFT (SEMINOLE PA44-180). DURING THE PREFLT THE RED HANDLE THAT LOCKS THE WINDOW/EMER EXIT IN PLACE WAS LOCKED IN ITS PROPER POS. THE SAFETY WIRE WAS ALSO ATTACHED. THE WINDOW HIT THE L ENG NACELLE PUTTING A SMALL DENT IN IT. IT THEN FELL TO THE TERRAIN BELOW (GRAZING LAND, LOW GRASS AND HILLY). THERE WERE NO BUILDINGS WITHIN 1 NM OF THE LOCATION WHERE IT WOULD HAVE STRUCK THE GND.
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.