A320 crew had the captain's forward windshield fail at FL370.

Attributes
ACN	596157
Time
Date	200310
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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 other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

In cruise flight, smooth air, heard loud pop, looked up and noted captain's windscreen had cracked in spider-web fashion from frame to frame with about 3/4 of panel surface obscured by cracks. Immediately donned oxygen masks, requested a descent, and turned on seatbelt sign. Checked fom, then requested FL230 as per checklist. Xferred controls, and captain as PNF contacted maintenance controller and dispatch. After conferring with maintenance controller and 'dispatch' and calculating fuel requirements, it was mutually agreed to continue to iad at FL230 and 280 KTS where uneventful landing was made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW HAD THE CAPT'S FORWARD WINDSHIELD FAIL AT FL370.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT, SMOOTH AIR, HEARD LOUD POP, LOOKED UP AND NOTED CAPT'S WINDSCREEN HAD CRACKED IN SPIDER-WEB FASHION FROM FRAME TO FRAME WITH ABOUT 3/4 OF PANEL SURFACE OBSCURED BY CRACKS. IMMEDIATELY DONNED OXYGEN MASKS, REQUESTED A DSCNT, AND TURNED ON SEATBELT SIGN. CHKED FOM, THEN REQUESTED FL230 AS PER CHKLIST. XFERRED CTLS, AND CAPT AS PNF CONTACTED MAINT CTLR AND DISPATCH. AFTER CONFERRING WITH MAINT CTLR AND 'DISPATCH' AND CALCULATING FUEL REQUIREMENTS, IT WAS MUTUALLY AGREED TO CONTINUE TO IAD AT FL230 AND 280 KTS WHERE UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE.

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.