Narrative:

While on vector from ZNY at FL270 l-hand overhead window cracked causing a rapid decompression of the cabin. All crew donned oxygen and rapid descent started. Subsequently ZNY cleared us to 10000 ft. I was asked if I wished to declare the emergency to which I replied in the affirmative. We received priority handling by all subsequent controllers and the remainder of flight was uneventful. After landing at jfk and xferring the patient to the waiting ground ambulance I contacted the company's general manager. We discussed several possible scenarios for the return of the aircraft to home base for repairs. The final decision was to return part 91 unpressurized. I then contacted our director of maintenance. Explained the cracked window. I was not very clear about the entire incident which misled our director of maintenance to agree with our general manager and I to fly the aircraft unpressurized. Following day returned to home base low altitude and unpressurized. This of course was a big mistake. The aircraft should have been at the very least been looked at by a mechanic and obtained a ferry permit for the return.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TURBO COMMANDER 690C WAS DISPATCHED ON A MAINT FERRY IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A CRACKED COCKPIT WINDOW THAT WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A LICENSED TECHNICIAN AS SAFE TO FLY.

Narrative: WHILE ON VECTOR FROM ZNY AT FL270 L-HAND OVERHEAD WINDOW CRACKED CAUSING A RAPID DECOMPRESSION OF THE CABIN. ALL CREW DONNED OXYGEN AND RAPID DSCNT STARTED. SUBSEQUENTLY ZNY CLRED US TO 10000 FT. I WAS ASKED IF I WISHED TO DECLARE THE EMER TO WHICH I REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE RECEIVED PRIORITY HANDLING BY ALL SUBSEQUENT CTLRS AND THE REMAINDER OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. AFTER LNDG AT JFK AND XFERRING THE PATIENT TO THE WAITING GND AMBULANCE I CONTACTED THE COMPANY'S GENERAL MGR. WE DISCUSSED SEVERAL POSSIBLE SCENARIOS FOR THE RETURN OF THE ACFT TO HOME BASE FOR REPAIRS. THE FINAL DECISION WAS TO RETURN PART 91 UNPRESSURIZED. I THEN CONTACTED OUR DIRECTOR OF MAINT. EXPLAINED THE CRACKED WINDOW. I WAS NOT VERY CLR ABOUT THE ENTIRE INCIDENT WHICH MISLED OUR DIRECTOR OF MAINT TO AGREE WITH OUR GENERAL MGR AND I TO FLY THE ACFT UNPRESSURIZED. FOLLOWING DAY RETURNED TO HOME BASE LOW ALT AND UNPRESSURIZED. THIS OF COURSE WAS A BIG MISTAKE. THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE VERY LEAST BEEN LOOKED AT BY A MECH AND OBTAINED A FERRY PERMIT FOR THE RETURN.

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.