Narrative:

Level at FL370 we noticed arcing on right forward windshield followed by delamination. We ran window damage procedure which called for turning off the arcing window's heat. Shortly after turning off window heat the outer pane shattered. We declared an emergency and began a descent. We contacted dispatch and maintenance. Our discussion with maintenance indicated that the outer pane was not a structural glass. We did not have air leaks or deformation of the remaining window panes so I elected to continue to ZZZ at 10000 ft to reduce the depressurization impact if the damage increased. On initial approach we told ATC to cancel emergency handling since there had been no further progress of damage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 EXPERIENCED A WINDSHIELD OUTER PANE FAILURE IN CRUISE FLT. THEY DECLARED AN EMER AND CONTINUED TO DEST AT LOWER ALT.

Narrative: LEVEL AT FL370 WE NOTICED ARCING ON R FORWARD WINDSHIELD FOLLOWED BY DELAMINATION. WE RAN WINDOW DAMAGE PROC WHICH CALLED FOR TURNING OFF THE ARCING WINDOW'S HEAT. SHORTLY AFTER TURNING OFF WINDOW HEAT THE OUTER PANE SHATTERED. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND BEGAN A DSCNT. WE CONTACTED DISPATCH AND MAINT. OUR DISCUSSION WITH MAINT INDICATED THAT THE OUTER PANE WAS NOT A STRUCTURAL GLASS. WE DID NOT HAVE AIR LEAKS OR DEFORMATION OF THE REMAINING WINDOW PANES SO I ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO ZZZ AT 10000 FT TO REDUCE THE DEPRESSURIZATION IMPACT IF THE DAMAGE INCREASED. ON INITIAL APCH WE TOLD ATC TO CANCEL EMER HANDLING SINCE THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER PROGRESS OF DAMAGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.