Windshield cracked in-flight. Non-structural so flight continued normally.

Attributes
ACN	297290
Time
Date	199502
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fmn
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	297290
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

90 mins into flight at cruise altitude of FL290, a window heat failure (short circuit) caused the first officer's forward windshield outer pane to crack. We requested from ZDV and received a clearance to descend to FL200 and to slow from 300 KIAS to 250 KIAS while we assessed the extent of the problem and completed all necessary emergency checklists. We determined that it was, in fact, the outer pane (non-structural) that was cracked and that there were no restrictions to forward visibility. The captain subsequently discussed the situation with company engineering department on commercial radio frequency. I was not privy to this conversation as I was momentarily flying the airplane and monitoring ATC frequency. Upon completion of his conversation with the maintenance engineering departure, he stated that all agreed we should continue to the destination. He also stated that there had been some confusion about the forward visibility state of the windshield. As I stated earlier the captain and I both concurred that there was no restriction to forward visibility. We landed uneventfully and no further problems arose.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WINDSHIELD CRACKED INFLT. NON-STRUCTURAL SO FLT CONTINUED NORMALLY.

Narrative: 90 MINS INTO FLT AT CRUISE ALT OF FL290, A WINDOW HEAT FAILURE (SHORT CIRCUIT) CAUSED THE FO'S FORWARD WINDSHIELD OUTER PANE TO CRACK. WE REQUESTED FROM ZDV AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO DSND TO FL200 AND TO SLOW FROM 300 KIAS TO 250 KIAS WHILE WE ASSESSED THE EXTENT OF THE PROB AND COMPLETED ALL NECESSARY EMER CHKLISTS. WE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS, IN FACT, THE OUTER PANE (NON-STRUCTURAL) THAT WAS CRACKED AND THAT THERE WERE NO RESTRICTIONS TO FORWARD VISIBILITY. THE CAPT SUBSEQUENTLY DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH COMPANY ENGINEERING DEPT ON COMMERCIAL RADIO FREQ. I WAS NOT PRIVY TO THIS CONVERSATION AS I WAS MOMENTARILY FLYING THE AIRPLANE AND MONITORING ATC FREQ. UPON COMPLETION OF HIS CONVERSATION WITH THE MAINT ENGINEERING DEP, HE STATED THAT ALL AGREED WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO THE DEST. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THE FORWARD VISIBILITY STATE OF THE WINDSHIELD. AS I STATED EARLIER THE CAPT AND I BOTH CONCURRED THAT THERE WAS NO RESTRICTION TO FORWARD VISIBILITY. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AND NO FURTHER PROBS AROSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.