Narrative:

In cruise at FL350 about 70 NM from ZZZ; we heard a loud pop. We then noticed that the captain's #1 window had cracked. I grabbed the QRH to do a cracked window procedure and turned off the window heat to that window. I continued to read the procedure through. We decided to don oxygen masks and start to depressurize the cabin. I declared an emergency and since ZZZ was the closest airport decided to land there. I made announcement to the passenger that my window had cracked and we needed to land in ZZZ. Approach and landing were normal. It was only after landing and while talking to the dispatcher I noticed the small note about inner and outer panes. It lumps the 2 together in such a way as I overlooked the difference. It states that if it is 1; 2 or 5 inner and 4 outer then.... I read in the heat of battle 1; 2; 5; 4 outer then.... Imho the QRH should have an inner pane checklist and an outer pane checklist. At least a step to determine which panel is cracked. Looking through a shattered window is disconcerting to say the least. It is not part of our usual training. If I had it to do over; I still would have diverted; but to ZZZ1 instead of ZZZ.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW DECLARES EMERGENCY AND DIVERTS TO A NEARBY ARPT WHEN THE CAPTAIN'S #1 WINDSHIELD CRACKS.

Narrative: IN CRUISE AT FL350 ABOUT 70 NM FROM ZZZ; WE HEARD A LOUD POP. WE THEN NOTICED THAT THE CAPT'S #1 WINDOW HAD CRACKED. I GRABBED THE QRH TO DO A CRACKED WINDOW PROC AND TURNED OFF THE WINDOW HEAT TO THAT WINDOW. I CONTINUED TO READ THE PROC THROUGH. WE DECIDED TO DON OXYGEN MASKS AND START TO DEPRESSURIZE THE CABIN. I DECLARED AN EMER AND SINCE ZZZ WAS THE CLOSEST ARPT DECIDED TO LAND THERE. I MADE ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX THAT MY WINDOW HAD CRACKED AND WE NEEDED TO LAND IN ZZZ. APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL. IT WAS ONLY AFTER LNDG AND WHILE TALKING TO THE DISPATCHER I NOTICED THE SMALL NOTE ABOUT INNER AND OUTER PANES. IT LUMPS THE 2 TOGETHER IN SUCH A WAY AS I OVERLOOKED THE DIFFERENCE. IT STATES THAT IF IT IS 1; 2 OR 5 INNER AND 4 OUTER THEN.... I READ IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE 1; 2; 5; 4 OUTER THEN.... IMHO THE QRH SHOULD HAVE AN INNER PANE CHKLIST AND AN OUTER PANE CHKLIST. AT LEAST A STEP TO DETERMINE WHICH PANEL IS CRACKED. LOOKING THROUGH A SHATTERED WINDOW IS DISCONCERTING TO SAY THE LEAST. IT IS NOT PART OF OUR USUAL TRAINING. IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER; I STILL WOULD HAVE DIVERTED; BUT TO ZZZ1 INSTEAD OF ZZZ.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.