A319 flight crew diverts to nearby airport when outer pane of captain's windshield cracks.

Attributes
ACN	741516
Time
Date	200706
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 39000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	741516
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The first officer was the PF. We were at FL390 in cruise flight with the autoplt engaged. Approximately 70 NM west of the ZZZ VOR; he noticed a small crack in the center of my windscreen. In a matter of 30 seconds the crack expanded to literally 100 cracks on the outer windscreen. We donned our oxygen masks; did a communication check; declared an emergency and began an emergency descent. First officer flew the aircraft and handled the radios. I gave the flight attendants a cabin advisory. I then sent an ACARS to dispatch notifying them that we had a windscreen problem; had declared an emergency and were diverting to ZZZ. The approach and landing were uneventful; and we never lost cabin pressure. The windscreen remained intact.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW DIVERTS TO NEARBY ARPT WHEN OUTER PANE OF CAPT'S WINDSHIELD CRACKS.

Narrative: THE FO WAS THE PF. WE WERE AT FL390 IN CRUISE FLT WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED. APPROX 70 NM W OF THE ZZZ VOR; HE NOTICED A SMALL CRACK IN THE CTR OF MY WINDSCREEN. IN A MATTER OF 30 SECONDS THE CRACK EXPANDED TO LITERALLY 100 CRACKS ON THE OUTER WINDSCREEN. WE DONNED OUR OXYGEN MASKS; DID A COM CHK; DECLARED AN EMER AND BEGAN AN EMER DSCNT. FO FLEW THE ACFT AND HANDLED THE RADIOS. I GAVE THE FLT ATTENDANTS A CABIN ADVISORY. I THEN SENT AN ACARS TO DISPATCH NOTIFYING THEM THAT WE HAD A WINDSCREEN PROB; HAD DECLARED AN EMER AND WERE DIVERTING TO ZZZ. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL; AND WE NEVER LOST CABIN PRESSURE. THE WINDSCREEN REMAINED INTACT.

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.