Super King Air 350
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Maintenance Powerplant; Maintenance Inspection Authority; Maintenance Airframe
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 55; Flight Crew Total 2600; Flight Crew Type 60
Troubleshooting; Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Aircraft Equipment Problem Dissipated; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Maintenance Action; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
While level at 9;000 feet; smoke appeared from left glare shield area adjacent to left windshield. Smoke was very pungent and increasing. An emergency was declared with ATC. Pilot flying donned oxygen mask as precaution. Pilot not flying suspected windshield problem and turned OFF windshield heat. After turning windshield heat off; smoke decreased and ceased entirely after a couple of minutes. ATC cleared us to land on Runway 10 and an uneventful landing was made. Maintenance determined a problem with the windshield heat terminal strip; at fault. The windshield heat was placarded inoperative per the MEL; and the aircraft flown to a service center for windshield replacement. This happened on a Beech King Air 350 approximately one year old. Apparently this has happened on other King Airs.
A B350 cockpit windshield heat terminal strip became faulty causing a pungent smoke; so the flying pilot donned oxygen while the non flying pilot turned the windshield heat off; declared an emergency and the flight landed without incident.