At FL355, first officer forward window outer pane began delaminating. Emergency declared. Returned t...

Attributes
ACN	167228
Time
Date	199012
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eed airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 35500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla tower : sna
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other landing other other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 155 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 155
ASRS Report	167228
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

*Advanced widebody transport 2-M flight crew departed sna climbing to FL370. At approximately FL355 first officer forward windshield panel started delaminating. Clearance was obtained to descend to FL330 and turn back to sna. Flight crew donned O2 mask and shoulder harness, and alerted the passenger cabin. Window pane began to delaminate at an alarming rate. Emergency declared. Request for descent to 10000' MSL. Window heat circuit breaker's pulled by cockpit observer, who then went to cabin. ZLA gave too complicated set of turns and dscnts. Flight crew demanded to 'descend now to 10000.' slowed the aircraft when outer panel gave way. Made appropriate radio calls and proceeded to approach and landing at sna.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AT FL355, FO FORWARD WINDOW OUTER PANE BEGAN DELAMINATING. EMERGENCY DECLARED. RETURNED TO SNA.

Narrative: *ADVANCED WDB 2-M FLT CREW DEPARTED SNA CLBING TO FL370. AT APPROX FL355 F/O FORWARD WINDSHIELD PANEL STARTED DELAMINATING. CLRNC WAS OBTAINED TO DSND TO FL330 AND TURN BACK TO SNA. FLT CREW DONNED O2 MASK AND SHOULDER HARNESS, AND ALERTED THE PAX CABIN. WINDOW PANE BEGAN TO DELAMINATE AT AN ALARMING RATE. EMER DECLARED. REQUEST FOR DSNT TO 10000' MSL. WINDOW HEAT CB'S PULLED BY COCKPIT OBSERVER, WHO THEN WENT TO CABIN. ZLA GAVE TOO COMPLICATED SET OF TURNS AND DSCNTS. FLT CREW DEMANDED TO 'DSND NOW TO 10000.' SLOWED THE ACFT WHEN OUTER PANEL GAVE WAY. MADE APPROPRIATE RADIO CALLS AND PROCEEDED TO APCH AND LNDG AT SNA.

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.

At FL355, first officer forward window outer pane began delaminating. Emergency declared. Returned to sna.