B727-200 returns to departure airport when captain's windshield outer pane shatters.

Attributes
ACN	763908
Time
Date	200712
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc tower : see.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	763908
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During climb out from ZZZ; passing FL270; noticed arcing at the top of the captain's #1 window. Upon closer inspection; arcing was actually running in a hairline crack in what appeared to be the outer pane. The arcing and cracking spread rapidly across the top of the windscreen. Then the outer pane shattered. We immediately leveled off; slowed the jet; ran the red tabs; and declared an emergency. A turn direct ZZZ and a lower altitude was accomplished. Fuel weight was adjusted in the descent to ZZZ. Uneventful landing at ZZZ.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727-200 RETURNS TO DEP ARPT WHEN CAPT'S WINDSHIELD OUTER PANE SHATTERS.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT FROM ZZZ; PASSING FL270; NOTICED ARCING AT THE TOP OF THE CAPT'S #1 WINDOW. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION; ARCING WAS ACTUALLY RUNNING IN A HAIRLINE CRACK IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE OUTER PANE. THE ARCING AND CRACKING SPREAD RAPIDLY ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WINDSCREEN. THEN THE OUTER PANE SHATTERED. WE IMMEDIATELY LEVELED OFF; SLOWED THE JET; RAN THE RED TABS; AND DECLARED AN EMER. A TURN DIRECT ZZZ AND A LOWER ALT WAS ACCOMPLISHED. FUEL WT WAS ADJUSTED IN THE DSCNT TO ZZZ. UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT ZZZ.

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.