Beech 1900D incident near Denver, Colorado, April 9, 2004
On April 9, 2004 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Beech 1900D, registered N210GL, was involved in an incident near Denver, Colorado. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
arcing of the windshield deicing system. Factors contributing to the incident were the improper inspection of the windshield's exterior seal, deterioration of the windshield seal, and water penetration through the deteriorated seal.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 2004 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900D · all 1900Ds on the register
- Registration
- N210GL · no longer on the register · serial UE-210
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain reported that he had placed the windshield heat to the "normal" position and then called for the climb checklist. The captain said they were operating in and out of IMC conditions. As they were leveling off at 11,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the captain said, " ... we experienced a popping sound as the result of the first officer's windshield beginning to crack. There were 4 or 5 cracks that started from the bottom left hand corner of the windshield and reached the halfway point of the windshield. At that time and almost instantly we heard another pop and those same cracks continued up the entire length of the windshield." The captain said that after the window had cracked completely, he heard the first officer say, "it's burning." The captain said he asked him what was burning and he replied, "the windshield." The captain said he turned off the heat on his side of the windshield and removed his approach plates from the glare shield. He said he looked over to see what was going on, but did not see any smoke or fire. The captain said he called for the "cracked or shattered windshield checklist." They completed the checklist and landed the airplane uneventfully. The first officer said he noticed a constant spark at the bottom left corner of his windshield and brought it to the captain's attention. The first officer said they turned off the windshield anti-ice switch for his side and the spark stopped. "A few seconds later, my side of the windshield cracked in different places." An examination of the windshield showed six cracks in the outer pane originating at a location 6 inches inboard of the center post along the anti-ice terminal strip. Further examination of the windshield showed that the glass exhibited thermal damage and sooting between the glass layers at the origination point of the cracks, along the lower edge of the heating element. An examination of the hub seal, around the outer edge of the glass and aluminum frame showed evidence of deterioration. There was evidence of water intrusion between the glass plies. The intrusion damage extended along much of the lower edge of the windshield. The windshield heating element was corroded in the areas where water intrusion was observed. The airplane maintenance manual states that the primary cause of moisture ingress is a deteriorated seal. Moisture ingress eventually leads to one or all of the following: delamination between the glass and interlayer, corrosion of the buss bar-heating wire junctions, failure of the electric heating system, and fracture of the outer glass ply. Inspection of the seal is called for during each of six 200-hour Detail Inspections.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,947 hours in all; 1,139 in this make and model; 146 in the last 90 days; 109 in the last 30 days; 705 as pilot in command; 467 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 20, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,060 hours in all; 1,760 in this make and model; 253 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 829 as pilot in command; 6 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 19, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,384.2 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 4, 2004; 17,366 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 17,120 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Great Lakes Aviation LTD
The flight
- Departed from: PUB Pueblo CO at 3:30 pm
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:28 pm from DEN, 55 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N210GL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
2012-02-17ENG12IA014 · incident near Denver International Airport, CO · minor damage
1982-02-20CHI82DA060 · accident near Roselle, IL · substantial damage · no injuries
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.