Tindi DHC7 at Yellowknife on Dec 14th 2013, "blind" landing

An Air Tindi de Havilland Dash DHC-7-100, registration C-GCPY performing flight 8T-804 from Yellowknife,NT to Hay River,NT (Canada) with 25 people on board, was in the initial climb through about 400 feet out of Yellowknife's runway 16 when the windshield began arcing. The crew turned the windshield heating off, a pop sound followed and the windshield cracked developing a spiderweb all across the windshield. The crew continued the climb to safe altitude, performed the relevant checklists and requested to return to Yellowknife. While aligning with the extended runway center line the entire windshield, left and right hand, iced over due to no heating available limiting the sight, the captain however saw enough of the runway and decided to continue the approach. About 1nm before touchdown the crew declared emergency reporting they could not see anything out of the windshield. The crew applied emergency procedures and managed a safe landing 17 minutes after departure.

The Canadian TSB reported the windshield was replaced and the aircraft returned to service.

Metars:

CYZF 150500Z 16018G25KT 1SM R34/P6000FT/D -SN BLSN BKN005 BKN015 OVC025 M22/M24 A2946 RMK SC5SC1SC2 SLP006

CYZF 150400Z 15018G23KT 1SM R34/P6000FT/N -SN BLSN BKN005 OVC015 M22/M24 A2950 RMK SC5SC3 PRESFR SLP019

CYZF 150300Z 16019G27KT 1SM R34/6000FT/D -SN BLSN BKN006 OVC015 M21/M24 A2954 RMK SC6SC2 SLP034

CYZF 150219Z 15016G22KT 1SM R34/P6000FT/D -SN BLSN BKN008 OVC016 M22/M24 A2957 RMK SC6SC2 SLP044

CYZF 150213Z 15017G24KT 1 1/2SM -SN BLSN BKN010 OVC020 M22/M24 A2958 RMK SC6SC2SLP046

CYZF 150203Z 15015G22KT 2SM -SN BLSN BKN010 OVC030 M22/M24 A2958 RMK SC5SC3 SLP048

CYZF 150200Z 15017G22KT 1 1/2SM -SN BLSN BKN008 OVC023 M22/M24 A2959 RMK SC5SC3 SLP050

CYZF 150145Z 15016G22KT 3/4SM R34/P6000FT/D -SN BLSN BKN005 OVC015 M22/M25 A2960 RMK SC6SC2 SLP054

CYZF 150100Z 15020G25KT 1 1/2SM -SN BLSN BKN009 OVC020 M22/M24 A2962 RMK SC6SC2 PRESFR SLP061

CYZF 150039Z 13012KT 1SM -SN BLSN BKN007 OVC017 M23/M26 A2965 RMK SC6SC2 PRESFRSLP071

CYZF 150000Z 14014G20KT 1 1/2SM -SN BLSN BKN010 OVC025 M24/M27 A2967 RMK SC6SC2 /S01/ SLP081