Hawker Beechcraft Corp. C90 incident near Evansville, Indiana, February 9, 2011
On February 9, 2011 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Hawker Beechcraft Corp. C90, registered N2057C, suffered minor damage in an incident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Evansville, Indiana (Evansville Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The peel chip-type failure of the co-pilot's window during initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2011 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Evansville, Indiana · Evansville Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hawker Beechcraft Corp. C90
- Registration
- N2057C · no longer on the register · serial LJ-827
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial climb after takeoff, the inner ply of the co-pilot’s windshield in the pressurized turboprop airplane shattered. The remainder of the windshield was not shattered. The pilot diverted and landed without further incident. Microscopic examination of the windshield's crack initiation area revealed an expanding triangular or v-shaped area emanating from a single point, consistent with a peel chip. The peel chip-type fracture of the inner ply of glass has historically been an issue on the King Air windshield and the window manufacturer made a product improvement to it. The windshield improvement incorporated a urethane layer between the vinyl interlayer and the inner glass ply that relieves stresses on the inner glass ply and prevents peel chip fractures. This airplane did not have the improved windshield. To date, there has not been a peel chip type fracture with the improvement in place.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Windows › windshield system › Flight compartment windows › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Windows › windshield system › Flight compartment windows › Design
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 23,790 hours in all; 3,017 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 20,147 as pilot in command; 6,400 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 7, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 147 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 21 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 24, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,655 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 5, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-21 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-21 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Sim Flight Academy
The flight
- Departed from: CMI Champaign/Urban IL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: SFB Orlando FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from EVV, 62 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.