A320 flight crew has the captain windshield heat fail during cruise.

Attributes
ACN	725439
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 2500
Environment
Weather Elements	other
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4200
ASRS Report	725439
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

1 hour prior to landing a left windshield and left side window heat fail ECAM was displayed on the lower ECAM screen. A review of the flight manual verified this was a crew awareness ECAM only. At the top of descent I noticed frost forming on the corners of the aft left window. The descent was in IMC and icing conditions from FL280 to 2800 ft. Engine anti-ice was on through the descent. Upon breaking out at 2800 ft I noticed the left side aft window completely obscured; the forward left side window partially obscured; and the lower one third of the front left windshield partially obscured with fog and or frost. The conditions worsened as we descended lower. I xferred control of the aircraft to the first officer and a successful approach and landing were completed. Once on the ground the left side windows and windshield were completely obscured. Attempts to clean the windows with paper napkins were unsuccessful. The remainder of the taxi to the gate was achieved looking out the open left side window. The flight manual procedure has no mention of frost and or fog forming on the glass surfaces due to cold; moist and humid conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW HAS THE CAPT WINDSHIELD HEAT FAIL DURING CRUISE.

Narrative: 1 HR PRIOR TO LNDG A L WINDSHIELD AND L SIDE WINDOW HEAT FAIL ECAM WAS DISPLAYED ON THE LOWER ECAM SCREEN. A REVIEW OF THE FLT MANUAL VERIFIED THIS WAS A CREW AWARENESS ECAM ONLY. AT THE TOP OF DSCNT I NOTICED FROST FORMING ON THE CORNERS OF THE AFT L WINDOW. THE DSCNT WAS IN IMC AND ICING CONDITIONS FROM FL280 TO 2800 FT. ENG ANTI-ICE WAS ON THROUGH THE DSCNT. UPON BREAKING OUT AT 2800 FT I NOTICED THE L SIDE AFT WINDOW COMPLETELY OBSCURED; THE FORWARD L SIDE WINDOW PARTIALLY OBSCURED; AND THE LOWER ONE THIRD OF THE FRONT L WINDSHIELD PARTIALLY OBSCURED WITH FOG AND OR FROST. THE CONDITIONS WORSENED AS WE DSNDED LOWER. I XFERRED CTL OF THE ACFT TO THE FO AND A SUCCESSFUL APCH AND LNDG WERE COMPLETED. ONCE ON THE GND THE L SIDE WINDOWS AND WINDSHIELD WERE COMPLETELY OBSCURED. ATTEMPTS TO CLEAN THE WINDOWS WITH PAPER NAPKINS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE REMAINDER OF THE TAXI TO THE GATE WAS ACHIEVED LOOKING OUT THE OPEN L SIDE WINDOW. THE FLT MANUAL PROC HAS NO MENTION OF FROST AND OR FOG FORMING ON THE GLASS SURFACES DUE TO COLD; MOIST AND HUMID CONDITIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.