Airbus A320-211 C-FGYL

Summary

On 17 September 2011 at about 15:45 local time, a Airbus A320-211 registered C-FGYL, operated by Air Canada, was involved in an incident near Chicago, Illinois, United States. 140 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 September 2011 at 15:45

Classification

Incident

Location

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Chicago O'Hare IAP (ORD)

Coordinates

41.9783, -87.9108

Aircraft

Airbus A320-211

Registration

C-FGYL

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Air Canada

Operating rule

Part 129: Foreign

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Toronto → Los Angeles

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11IA649

Nobody was injured.

The infiltration of moisture into the windshield heating layer that induced arcing in the heating system that subsequently cracked the windshield.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The first officer's (FO) windshield cracked during cruise flight. The crack subsequently progressed into multiple multidirectional cracks that obscured the FO’s view through the window. The flight crew was unable to determine the severity of the cracks and diverted without further incident. A postincident examination of the windshield revealed an area of arcing located along the electrical bus bar at the lower edge of the windshield, near the forward corner. This location coincided with the area in which the power and sensing element wires were routed around the structural glass plies. The area of arcing was surrounded by a cloudy and degraded interlayer, which was consistent with the presence of moisture. A section of the moisture seal was worn and appeared to have been repaired, resulting in moisture ingress. The moisture degraded the interlayer and electrical system resulting in a discontinuity that led to electrical arcing and failure of the heating system causing the windshield cracking. The latest windshield revisions, with part numbers NP-165331-1/-2, are available and include enhancements that reduce the potential for moisture ingress and its subsequent effects on the electrical system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.