A B757-200 in cruise at FL350 declared an emergency and diverted due to captain's forward windshield...

Attributes
ACN	581350
Time
Date	200304
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : psp.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	581350
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After a normal step climb and level off at FL350, approximately 5-10 mins at cruise, I noticed 3 small areas (2 lower left and 1 lower right portion of captain forward windshield) of what appeared to be electrical arcing (flaring/sparkling). The first officer then noticed a glowing area under the far left underside of the glare shield. At about this same time, the forward windshield 'spider cracked' in its entirety. We then declared the emergency, donned the oxygen masks, slowed the aircraft, started the descent, ran the checklist, discussed and agreed on diversion (due to continued and expanding arcing and questionable windshield integrity). We then notified the company and flight attendants of the situation and made a PA to the passenger. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the forward captain's windshield started to arc at the lower left and right corners. The reporter said it sparkled and glowed then the outer pane cracked in a spider web pattern. The reporter stated an emergency was declared and a descent and diversion began as the windshield integrity was questionable.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 IN CRUISE AT FL350 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO CAPT'S FORWARD WINDSHIELD ARCING AND OUTER PANE SPIDER CRACKING.

Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL STEP CLB AND LEVEL OFF AT FL350, APPROX 5-10 MINS AT CRUISE, I NOTICED 3 SMALL AREAS (2 LOWER L AND 1 LOWER R PORTION OF CAPT FORWARD WINDSHIELD) OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE ELECTRICAL ARCING (FLARING/SPARKLING). THE FO THEN NOTICED A GLOWING AREA UNDER THE FAR L UNDERSIDE OF THE GLARE SHIELD. AT ABOUT THIS SAME TIME, THE FORWARD WINDSHIELD 'SPIDER CRACKED' IN ITS ENTIRETY. WE THEN DECLARED THE EMER, DONNED THE OXYGEN MASKS, SLOWED THE ACFT, STARTED THE DSCNT, RAN THE CHKLIST, DISCUSSED AND AGREED ON DIVERSION (DUE TO CONTINUED AND EXPANDING ARCING AND QUESTIONABLE WINDSHIELD INTEGRITY). WE THEN NOTIFIED THE COMPANY AND FLT ATTENDANTS OF THE SIT AND MADE A PA TO THE PAX. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE FORWARD CAPT'S WINDSHIELD STARTED TO ARC AT THE LOWER L AND R CORNERS. THE RPTR SAID IT SPARKLED AND GLOWED THEN THE OUTER PANE CRACKED IN A SPIDER WEB PATTERN. THE RPTR STATED AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND A DSCNT AND DIVERSION BEGAN AS THE WINDSHIELD INTEGRITY WAS QUESTIONABLE.

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.

A B757-200 in cruise at FL350 declared an emergency and diverted due to captain's forward windshield arcing and outer pane spider cracking.