Created Wednesday, Nov 9th 2022 19:12Z, last updated Wednesday, Nov 9th 2022 19:12Z
A Transwest Air Saab 340A, registration C-GKCY performing a flight from Saskatoon,SK to Mc Arthur River,SK (Canada) with 22 people on board, was enroute at FL200 about 44nm from Prince Albert,SK when the crew noticed a faint smell of hot rubber in the cockpit, scanned the instruments and lowered the cockpit temperature, the odour however increased in intensity becoming an acrid smell of melting plastics with an ozone smell similiar to electrical odour, however, no smoke was visible. As the flight continued with the sun shining through the right hand windshield the first officer noticed smoke at the rear corner of the right hand windshield. The crew performed the memory items for electrical fire or smoke, declared PAN PAN, donned their oxygen masks and decided to divert to Prince Albert,SK (Canada). During the descent towards Prince Albert the right windshield annunciator illuminated, the crew pulled the associated circuit breaker and the smoke and odour began to dissipate. The cabin was prepared for an emergency landing, the aircraft landed safely in Prince Albert and taxied to the apron, where passengers disembarked normally.
The Canadian TSB reported maintenance found the terminal block of the right windshield burnt and was the source of the smoke as soon as power was applied. The aircraft was released under Minimum Equipment List requirements and was positioned to maintenance base for repairs.
