Failed captain's windshield causes B737-800 flight crew to declare emergency and divert to nearest s...

Attributes
ACN	799904
Time
Date	200808
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
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
ASRS Report	799904
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Cruising at FL360; VMC; intermittent light chop. Captain's forward window shattered accompanied by arcing and melting of top portion of window. We both put on our oxygen masks; called center; slowed; descended; and declared the emergency as we accomplished checklist. Notified flight attendants; then passenger of diversion and nature of problem. Pressurization remained normal. The closest airport was ZZZ about 50-60 NM southeast. We descended to 2000 ft while aligning for final to runway xx. The final approach and landing was accomplished by the first officer because of limited visibility through the captain's window. Landing uneventful. Crash fire rescue equipment responded and followed us to parking.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAILED CAPT'S WINDSHIELD CAUSES B737-800 FLT CREW TO DECLARE EMERGENCY AND DIVERT TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.

Narrative: CRUISING AT FL360; VMC; INTERMITTENT LIGHT CHOP. CAPT'S FORWARD WINDOW SHATTERED ACCOMPANIED BY ARCING AND MELTING OF TOP PORTION OF WINDOW. WE BOTH PUT ON OUR OXYGEN MASKS; CALLED CTR; SLOWED; DSNDED; AND DECLARED THE EMER AS WE ACCOMPLISHED CHKLIST. NOTIFIED FLT ATTENDANTS; THEN PAX OF DIVERSION AND NATURE OF PROB. PRESSURIZATION REMAINED NORMAL. THE CLOSEST ARPT WAS ZZZ ABOUT 50-60 NM SE. WE DSNDED TO 2000 FT WHILE ALIGNING FOR FINAL TO RWY XX. THE FINAL APCH AND LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE FO BECAUSE OF LIMITED VISIBILITY THROUGH THE CAPT'S WINDOW. LNDG UNEVENTFUL. CFR RESPONDED AND FOLLOWED US TO PARKING.

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.

Failed captain's windshield causes B737-800 flight crew to declare emergency and divert to nearest suitable airport.