A gulfstream V's left cockpit windshield outer pane shattered at FL430. An emergency was declared fo...

Attributes
ACN	843019
Time
Date	200907
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Gulfstream V / G500 / G550
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Cockpit Window
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50 Flight Crew Total 4000 Flight Crew Type 800
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical

Narrative:

In cruise flight at FL430 left cockpit windscreen outer ply suddenly shattered in spiderweb pattern. A charred spot was observed in the lower outboard corner of the windscreen. Aircraft was enroute with 9 passengers; 5 crewmembers; and approximately 22;000 pounds of fuel. Two pilots and flight engineer donned oxygen masks; declared emergency; and requested divert from center. Crew was given vector and descent. Crew completed emergency procedure and landed uneventfully with a right seat landing due to impaired left seat visibility from cracked windscreen. Although there were no abnormal indications prior to the window shattering; the charring suggests possible shorting in the windshield heating system causing the windscreen failure. An additional lesson learned was that the circuit breaker locations indicated in the emergency procedures QRH did not match the actual locations in the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Gulfstream V's left cockpit windshield outer pane shattered at FL430. An emergency was declared followed by an uneventful landing at a diversion airport.

Narrative: In cruise flight at FL430 left cockpit windscreen outer ply suddenly shattered in spiderweb pattern. A charred spot was observed in the lower outboard corner of the windscreen. Aircraft was enroute with 9 passengers; 5 crewmembers; and approximately 22;000 LBS of fuel. Two pilots and flight engineer donned oxygen masks; declared emergency; and requested divert from Center. Crew was given vector and descent. Crew completed emergency procedure and landed uneventfully with a right seat landing due to impaired left seat visibility from cracked windscreen. Although there were no abnormal indications prior to the window shattering; the charring suggests possible shorting in the windshield heating system causing the windscreen failure. An additional lesson learned was that the circuit breaker locations indicated in the Emergency Procedures QRH did not match the actual locations in the aircraft.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

A gulfstream V's left cockpit windshield outer pane shattered at FL430. An emergency was declared followed by an uneventful landing at a diversion airport.