BE200 flight crew has cockpit windshield crack during cruise.

Attributes
ACN	569539
Time
Date	200212
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aoh.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Super King Air 200/Huron
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 73 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	569539
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

En route from flint, michigan to fort myers, fl, at FL290, 2 pilots 7 passenger onboard, pilot side windshield shattered. Windshield was still intact, but shattered completely left to right and top to bottom. Cabin pressure still holding. An emergency was declared requesting an immediate descent and vectors to the nearest airport for landing. Did not know the extent of the damaged windshield. Also, requested ILS frequencys, course, and fixes to ATC for less workload. There are 8 approach books carried on board the aircraft, however, we normally carry the approach books for the state of the departure and arrival airports, including charts up front for easy access to the pilots. The other books are stowed in rear of aircraft due to lack of space. It was agreed by me and the PF not to leave our stations to retrieve the ohio book that was at the rear of aircraft. ATC was very helpful in this situation that resulted in a successful ILS approach (which was needed) and landing. WX was 700 ft and 2 mi. Windshield heat was on at the time, and was turned on at 9000 ft. I believe the cause of the problem might have been a combination of an aged windshield, and a mix of cold outside temperatures and a heated windshield.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE200 FLC HAS COCKPIT WINDSHIELD CRACK DURING CRUISE.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM FLINT, MICHIGAN TO FORT MYERS, FL, AT FL290, 2 PLTS 7 PAX ONBOARD, PLT SIDE WINDSHIELD SHATTERED. WINDSHIELD WAS STILL INTACT, BUT SHATTERED COMPLETELY L TO R AND TOP TO BOTTOM. CABIN PRESSURE STILL HOLDING. AN EMER WAS DECLARED REQUESTING AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT AND VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT FOR LNDG. DID NOT KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGED WINDSHIELD. ALSO, REQUESTED ILS FREQS, COURSE, AND FIXES TO ATC FOR LESS WORKLOAD. THERE ARE 8 APCH BOOKS CARRIED ON BOARD THE ACFT, HOWEVER, WE NORMALLY CARRY THE APCH BOOKS FOR THE STATE OF THE DEP AND ARR ARPTS, INCLUDING CHARTS UP FRONT FOR EASY ACCESS TO THE PLTS. THE OTHER BOOKS ARE STOWED IN REAR OF ACFT DUE TO LACK OF SPACE. IT WAS AGREED BY ME AND THE PF NOT TO LEAVE OUR STATIONS TO RETRIEVE THE OHIO BOOK THAT WAS AT THE REAR OF ACFT. ATC WAS VERY HELPFUL IN THIS SIT THAT RESULTED IN A SUCCESSFUL ILS APCH (WHICH WAS NEEDED) AND LNDG. WX WAS 700 FT AND 2 MI. WINDSHIELD HEAT WAS ON AT THE TIME, AND WAS TURNED ON AT 9000 FT. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THE PROB MIGHT HAVE BEEN A COMBINATION OF AN AGED WINDSHIELD, AND A MIX OF COLD OUTSIDE TEMPS AND A HEATED WINDSHIELD.

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.