Narrative:

While in cruise with first officer in back at lav, a small bead of light started to inch slowly across the windshield on captain's side. Once it reached about 5-6' I turned the windshield heat switch off. On first officer's return I removed my O2 mask and advised him to 'snap in, we've got a small problem.' he complied quickly. Almost as soon as he was seated the captain's windshield cracked severely--top to bottom about 4-5 large cracks. As a precaution I called for O2 mask on-100% and requested immediate descent to lower altitude (FL240 was assigned). Called for the cracked windshield checklist and slowed our speed. I was not immediately sure of which pane was cracked, but later after descent determined that it was the outer pane which had broken. Once leveled off at FL240 with checklist complete, I called the #1 F/a forward to inform her of our situation and have her clean up the cabin of potential projectiles as a precaution to pressurization failure. I attempted to contact my company via our contracted communications network, but could not raise the contractor via several different frequencys and trying for 20-30 mins. Finally had ATC call the company suing an 800 #. After checking WX (trw forecast, but none present) over our route and at destination and alternate, and reviewing our fuel requirements for the lower altitude, I elected to continue to our destination. Because the checklist did not advise a diversion and I did not see any hazards to aircraft or personnel, I felt our precautions were adequate and the decision to continue safe. I did not feel an emergency was necessary under the circumstances but did want priority handling to minimize our time in the air. ATC complied with all our requests and the rest of the flight was uneventful. We landed with plenty of fuel, in excess of required reserves.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG CAPT'S WINDSHIELD OUTER PANE CRACKED IN CRUISE.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE WITH F/O IN BACK AT LAV, A SMALL BEAD OF LIGHT STARTED TO INCH SLOWLY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD ON CAPT'S SIDE. ONCE IT REACHED ABOUT 5-6' I TURNED THE WINDSHIELD HEAT SWITCH OFF. ON F/O'S RETURN I REMOVED MY O2 MASK AND ADVISED HIM TO 'SNAP IN, WE'VE GOT A SMALL PROB.' HE COMPLIED QUICKLY. ALMOST AS SOON AS HE WAS SEATED THE CAPT'S WINDSHIELD CRACKED SEVERELY--TOP TO BOTTOM ABOUT 4-5 LARGE CRACKS. AS A PRECAUTION I CALLED FOR O2 MASK ON-100% AND REQUESTED IMMEDIATE DSNT TO LOWER ALT (FL240 WAS ASSIGNED). CALLED FOR THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD CHKLIST AND SLOWED OUR SPD. I WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY SURE OF WHICH PANE WAS CRACKED, BUT LATER AFTER DSNT DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE OUTER PANE WHICH HAD BROKEN. ONCE LEVELED OFF AT FL240 WITH CHKLIST COMPLETE, I CALLED THE #1 F/A FORWARD TO INFORM HER OF OUR SITUATION AND HAVE HER CLEAN UP THE CABIN OF POTENTIAL PROJECTILES AS A PRECAUTION TO PRESSURIZATION FAILURE. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT MY COMPANY VIA OUR CONTRACTED COMS NETWORK, BUT COULD NOT RAISE THE CONTRACTOR VIA SEVERAL DIFFERENT FREQS AND TRYING FOR 20-30 MINS. FINALLY HAD ATC CALL THE COMPANY SUING AN 800 #. AFTER CHKING WX (TRW FORECAST, BUT NONE PRESENT) OVER OUR RTE AND AT DEST AND ALTERNATE, AND REVIEWING OUR FUEL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LOWER ALT, I ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO OUR DEST. BECAUSE THE CHKLIST DID NOT ADVISE A DIVERSION AND I DID NOT SEE ANY HAZARDS TO ACFT OR PERSONNEL, I FELT OUR PRECAUTIONS WERE ADEQUATE AND THE DECISION TO CONTINUE SAFE. I DID NOT FEEL AN EMER WAS NECESSARY UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES BUT DID WANT PRIORITY HANDLING TO MINIMIZE OUR TIME IN THE AIR. ATC COMPLIED WITH ALL OUR REQUESTS AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE LANDED WITH PLENTY OF FUEL, IN EXCESS OF REQUIRED RESERVES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.