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Atlas / NTSB / ATL84IA255

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event ATL84IA255

1984-08-13 MEMPHIS, Tennessee, United States Minor 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N501SS

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

CESSNA 500

Year of manufacture

1978 · 6 years old at event

Engine

P&W CANADA JT15D-1

Seats / Engines

8 seats · 2 engines

Last airworthiness date

19980114

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A63F48

Registrant of record

CYPRESS AIRCRAFT SALES LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

DURING LEVEL OFF AT 16,000 FT WITH A SEA LEVEL CABIN PRESSURE (6 PSI DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE), THE CREW HEARD A 'POP', THEN THE COPLT'S WINDOW BLEW OUT. DEBRIS, INCLUDING THE GLARESHIELD, EXITED THE COCKPIT & INJURED THE COPILOT. THE WINDOW WAS A SINGLE THICKNESS ACRYLIC, MANUFACTURED BY PPG (PN 26-2L 383-006). THE WINDOW WAS IN SERVICE 12,158 HRS SINCE NEW IN 1979. FATIGUE ORIGINATED NEAR THE LOWER REAR CORNER UNDER THE EDGE OF THE WINDOW RETAINER STRIP. CAUSE OF THE FATIGUE WAS NOT DETERMINED. WHITE PAINT & SEALANT MATERIAL WERE AT THE FATIGUE ORIGIN. A SCRIBE LINE WAS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE ORIGIN. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1984_ATL84IA255.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.