A fokker 100 in cruise at FL310 diverted due to a cracked captain's #1 windshield outer pane.

Attributes
ACN	407317
Time
Date	199807
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lrd
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu tower : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	407317
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	407316
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We were at cruise and the captain's windshield cracked. We advised ZHU and requested a lower altitude. The controller gave us clearance to 10000 ft. We completed the procedure from the MFDU, left window heat, and reviewed the expanded procedure from the book. We concluded the outer pane was cracked. I briefed the flight attendants on the situation and told the passenger we would be landing in sat. We were cleared to sat by ZHU and landed at sat uneventfully. I did not declare an emergency because we concluded it was the outer pane and structural integrity was ok. When we leveled at 10000 ft we thought there was a possibility of damage to the middle pane. I kept the speed below 250 KTS inbound to sat. We sent dispatch a message via ACARS indicating outer/middle. Dispatch believed us to be in mexico airspace, returning from across the border, out of communication, with a problem. Dispatch declared an emergency for our flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FOKKER 100 IN CRUISE AT FL310 DIVERTED DUE TO A CRACKED CAPT'S #1 WINDSHIELD OUTER PANE.

Narrative: WE WERE AT CRUISE AND THE CAPT'S WINDSHIELD CRACKED. WE ADVISED ZHU AND REQUESTED A LOWER ALT. THE CTLR GAVE US CLRNC TO 10000 FT. WE COMPLETED THE PROC FROM THE MFDU, L WINDOW HEAT, AND REVIEWED THE EXPANDED PROC FROM THE BOOK. WE CONCLUDED THE OUTER PANE WAS CRACKED. I BRIEFED THE FLT ATTENDANTS ON THE SIT AND TOLD THE PAX WE WOULD BE LNDG IN SAT. WE WERE CLRED TO SAT BY ZHU AND LANDED AT SAT UNEVENTFULLY. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER BECAUSE WE CONCLUDED IT WAS THE OUTER PANE AND STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY WAS OK. WHEN WE LEVELED AT 10000 FT WE THOUGHT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE TO THE MIDDLE PANE. I KEPT THE SPD BELOW 250 KTS INBOUND TO SAT. WE SENT DISPATCH A MESSAGE VIA ACARS INDICATING OUTER/MIDDLE. DISPATCH BELIEVED US TO BE IN MEXICO AIRSPACE, RETURNING FROM ACROSS THE BORDER, OUT OF COM, WITH A PROB. DISPATCH DECLARED AN EMER FOR OUR FLT.

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.