Narrative:

While in cruise at FL360; first officer advised me of a delamination rapidly forming in the lower (right) quadrant of the captain's forward windscreen. As we looked closer; we saw there was also a burn spot at the lower portion of the windscreen; emanating some smoke and actively sparking and burning. First officer immediately turned off the 'window heat' as per the irregular procedure. This action discontinued the arcing and shorting immediately. I remained PF; and the first officer worked the checklist as we told ATC we needed a lower altitude. We were initially given a stepped descent by ATC. Within several seconds the entire span of the captain's forward windscreen immediately shattered. I told the first officer to declare an emergency to expedite the descent. While on oxygen masks; we continued a descent to 15000 ft as per ATC. Terrain was a factor as the MEA was approximately 13000 ft at present position (VFR conditions) during the initial events. ZZZ was behind us to our left. We performed a 'cabin altitude/rapid depressurization' qrc and 'emergency descent' qrc tailored for the situation; as we still had cabin pressure -- the windscreen was still in-place; but knowing the outer layer that was shattered; we were concerned about its structural integrity. I descended while at a reduced speed due to obvious considerable damage to the windscreen. Flight attendants were advised of our situation; and ordered a 'cabin advisory' with an approximately time to landing. First officer noted he observed some external shards of glass (flaking away) from the aircraft windscreen. First officer completed the qrc checklists and I worked with ATC (while on oxygen mask). After the flight attendants were advised of our situation; shortly afterwards passenger were given an announcement as to our situation. First officer continued working with dispatch contact; obtaining data to determine suitability of various airports. VFR conditions prevailed. Several options existed for airports as per our initial assessment of airports. All factors weighed as per the diversion checklist guidelines. Note: communication became very difficult with ATC at the lower altitudes; and throughout the event; the first officer had great difficulty obtaining clear communication with dispatch. There was also some difficulty communicating with ATC with the use of the oxygen masks and while at lower altitudes (15000 ft). We verified cabin altitude was remaining normal. Final determination for safest course of action was for ZZZ; as this was initially assessed as; and remained as the 'most suitable' airport to land. I transitioned control of the aircraft to the first officer (now PF) to perform the landing should the windscreen degradate further; and due to the fact it was difficult to see through because of the shattering; I completed the normal checklists. Although dispatch stated customer service was 'better' at ZZZ1; ZZZ 'nearest suitable' (safest) determination was made and agreed upon with dispatch. After landing at ZZZ; aircraft was parked for several hours (more than +4 hours 30 mins) on the ramp with the passenger on board; as there were no available B757 stairs for normal egress. (They were ultimately bussed to ZZZ1.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW AT FL360 EXPERIENCES CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND DIVERTS TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE AT FL360; FO ADVISED ME OF A DELAMINATION RAPIDLY FORMING IN THE LOWER (R) QUADRANT OF THE CAPT'S FORWARD WINDSCREEN. AS WE LOOKED CLOSER; WE SAW THERE WAS ALSO A BURN SPOT AT THE LOWER PORTION OF THE WINDSCREEN; EMANATING SOME SMOKE AND ACTIVELY SPARKING AND BURNING. FO IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE 'WINDOW HEAT' AS PER THE IRREGULAR PROC. THIS ACTION DISCONTINUED THE ARCING AND SHORTING IMMEDIATELY. I REMAINED PF; AND THE FO WORKED THE CHKLIST AS WE TOLD ATC WE NEEDED A LOWER ALT. WE WERE INITIALLY GIVEN A STEPPED DSCNT BY ATC. WITHIN SEVERAL SECONDS THE ENTIRE SPAN OF THE CAPT'S FORWARD WINDSCREEN IMMEDIATELY SHATTERED. I TOLD THE FO TO DECLARE AN EMER TO EXPEDITE THE DSCNT. WHILE ON OXYGEN MASKS; WE CONTINUED A DSCNT TO 15000 FT AS PER ATC. TERRAIN WAS A FACTOR AS THE MEA WAS APPROX 13000 FT AT PRESENT POS (VFR CONDITIONS) DURING THE INITIAL EVENTS. ZZZ WAS BEHIND US TO OUR L. WE PERFORMED A 'CABIN ALT/RAPID DEPRESSURIZATION' QRC AND 'EMER DSCNT' QRC TAILORED FOR THE SITUATION; AS WE STILL HAD CABIN PRESSURE -- THE WINDSCREEN WAS STILL IN-PLACE; BUT KNOWING THE OUTER LAYER THAT WAS SHATTERED; WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT ITS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. I DSNDED WHILE AT A REDUCED SPD DUE TO OBVIOUS CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE WINDSCREEN. FLT ATTENDANTS WERE ADVISED OF OUR SITUATION; AND ORDERED A 'CABIN ADVISORY' WITH AN APPROX TIME TO LNDG. FO NOTED HE OBSERVED SOME EXTERNAL SHARDS OF GLASS (FLAKING AWAY) FROM THE ACFT WINDSCREEN. FO COMPLETED THE QRC CHKLISTS AND I WORKED WITH ATC (WHILE ON OXYGEN MASK). AFTER THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE ADVISED OF OUR SITUATION; SHORTLY AFTERWARDS PAX WERE GIVEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT AS TO OUR SITUATION. FO CONTINUED WORKING WITH DISPATCH CONTACT; OBTAINING DATA TO DETERMINE SUITABILITY OF VARIOUS ARPTS. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED. SEVERAL OPTIONS EXISTED FOR ARPTS AS PER OUR INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF ARPTS. ALL FACTORS WEIGHED AS PER THE DIVERSION CHKLIST GUIDELINES. NOTE: COM BECAME VERY DIFFICULT WITH ATC AT THE LOWER ALTS; AND THROUGHOUT THE EVENT; THE FO HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY OBTAINING CLR COM WITH DISPATCH. THERE WAS ALSO SOME DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH ATC WITH THE USE OF THE OXYGEN MASKS AND WHILE AT LOWER ALTS (15000 FT). WE VERIFIED CABIN ALT WAS REMAINING NORMAL. FINAL DETERMINATION FOR SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS FOR ZZZ; AS THIS WAS INITIALLY ASSESSED AS; AND REMAINED AS THE 'MOST SUITABLE' ARPT TO LAND. I TRANSITIONED CTL OF THE ACFT TO THE FO (NOW PF) TO PERFORM THE LNDG SHOULD THE WINDSCREEN DEGRADATE FURTHER; AND DUE TO THE FACT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH BECAUSE OF THE SHATTERING; I COMPLETED THE NORMAL CHKLISTS. ALTHOUGH DISPATCH STATED CUSTOMER SVC WAS 'BETTER' AT ZZZ1; ZZZ 'NEAREST SUITABLE' (SAFEST) DETERMINATION WAS MADE AND AGREED UPON WITH DISPATCH. AFTER LNDG AT ZZZ; ACFT WAS PARKED FOR SEVERAL HRS (MORE THAN +4 HRS 30 MINS) ON THE RAMP WITH THE PAX ON BOARD; AS THERE WERE NO AVAILABLE B757 STAIRS FOR NORMAL EGRESS. (THEY WERE ULTIMATELY BUSSED TO ZZZ1.)

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.