Narrative:

During final approach at the FAF approximately 2000 ft AGL, the exposed electrical wires (kapton?) leading to the captain's window heat/anti-fog of the sliding window, shorted, arced, sparked with a brief small flame and some smoke. The short was very bright and intense, almost 'explosive' in nature but fairly brief. Smoke goggles and oxygen masks were not donned due to the brief duration and apparent isolated location of the short as well as the rapid dissipation of smoke. A go around was not initiated for the same reasons, as well as feeling a sense of urgency to get the aircraft on the ground. I did inform atl tower of our situation but did not declare an emergency or request fire equipment since the 'event' seemed to be over.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 ON 6 MI FINAL AT 2000 FT AGL HAD THE WIRING TO THE CAPT'S SLIDING WINDOW SHORT WITH SPARKING, ARCING AND A MOMENTARY FLAME WITH SOME SMOKE.

Narrative: DURING FINAL APCH AT THE FAF APPROX 2000 FT AGL, THE EXPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRES (KAPTON?) LEADING TO THE CAPT'S WINDOW HEAT/ANTI-FOG OF THE SLIDING WINDOW, SHORTED, ARCED, SPARKED WITH A BRIEF SMALL FLAME AND SOME SMOKE. THE SHORT WAS VERY BRIGHT AND INTENSE, ALMOST 'EXPLOSIVE' IN NATURE BUT FAIRLY BRIEF. SMOKE GOGGLES AND OXYGEN MASKS WERE NOT DONNED DUE TO THE BRIEF DURATION AND APPARENT ISOLATED LOCATION OF THE SHORT AS WELL AS THE RAPID DISSIPATION OF SMOKE. A GAR WAS NOT INITIATED FOR THE SAME REASONS, AS WELL AS FEELING A SENSE OF URGENCY TO GET THE ACFT ON THE GND. I DID INFORM ATL TWR OF OUR SIT BUT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER OR REQUEST FIRE EQUIP SINCE THE 'EVENT' SEEMED TO BE OVER.

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.