Aircraft equipment problem. Emergency declared. Air carrier has a cracked windshield at high altitud...

Attributes
ACN	312321
Time
Date	199508
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxv
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	312321
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	313224
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During cruise at FL350, a loud popping noise was heard in the cockpit. The captain's forward windshield had cracked. The anti-ice windshield heating elements started to arc, causing spots of bonding glue to start melting. I turned off the window anti-ice and the arcing stopped. The captain declared an emergency and requested an immediate descent. I disconnected the autoplt and turned off the airway anticipating an immediate descent. I had just begun our descent when ARTCC told us to maintain altitude. The captain again told ARTCC that we had an emergency and needed an immediate descent. We were then given a heading and received clearance for our descent. Approximately 80 percent of captain's windshield had cracks. Emergency procedures were accomplished, and we landed at the nearest suitable airfield without further incident (lou, ky).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. EMER DECLARED. ACR HAS A CRACKED WINDSHIELD AT HIGH ALT.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE AT FL350, A LOUD POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE COCKPIT. THE CAPT'S FORWARD WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED. THE ANTI-ICE WINDSHIELD HEATING ELEMENTS STARTED TO ARC, CAUSING SPOTS OF BONDING GLUE TO START MELTING. I TURNED OFF THE WINDOW ANTI-ICE AND THE ARCING STOPPED. THE CAPT DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND TURNED OFF THE AIRWAY ANTICIPATING AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. I HAD JUST BEGUN OUR DSCNT WHEN ARTCC TOLD US TO MAINTAIN ALT. THE CAPT AGAIN TOLD ARTCC THAT WE HAD AN EMER AND NEEDED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A HDG AND RECEIVED CLRNC FOR OUR DSCNT. APPROX 80 PERCENT OF CAPT'S WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKS. EMER PROCS WERE ACCOMPLISHED, AND WE LANDED AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE AIRFIELD WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT (LOU, KY).

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.

Aircraft equipment problem. Emergency declared. Air carrier has a cracked windshield at high altitude.