A B757-200 in cruise at FL370 declared an emergency and descended due to a right windshield with ext...

Attributes
ACN	545740
Time
Date	200204
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : gld.vortac
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	545740
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The captain and I were east of gld at FL370 when I noticed what appeared to be st elmos fire on my windscreen. On further inspection, we noticed a line that was snaking across the glass and appeared to be burning as it moved. We decided to turn off the right forward window heat switch and look for any procedure that might apply. Within a few mins of turning off the window heat, there was a loud pop and the right forward windscreen was full of cracks. Captain started a rapid descent and I called center to declare an emergency. We both put on our masks and I ran the emergency descent checklist. We leveled at 15000 ft, slowed to 250 KTS and assessed our situation. After talking to tulsa technician, they advised us it was safe to continue to ord, so we did.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 IN CRUISE AT FL370 DECLARED AN EMER AND DSNDED DUE TO A R WINDSHIELD WITH EXTENSIVE CRACKING.

Narrative: THE CAPT AND I WERE E OF GLD AT FL370 WHEN I NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE ST ELMOS FIRE ON MY WINDSCREEN. ON FURTHER INSPECTION, WE NOTICED A LINE THAT WAS SNAKING ACROSS THE GLASS AND APPEARED TO BE BURNING AS IT MOVED. WE DECIDED TO TURN OFF THE R FORWARD WINDOW HEAT SWITCH AND LOOK FOR ANY PROC THAT MIGHT APPLY. WITHIN A FEW MINS OF TURNING OFF THE WINDOW HEAT, THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND THE R FORWARD WINDSCREEN WAS FULL OF CRACKS. CAPT STARTED A RAPID DSCNT AND I CALLED CTR TO DECLARE AN EMER. WE BOTH PUT ON OUR MASKS AND I RAN THE EMER DSCNT CHKLIST. WE LEVELED AT 15000 FT, SLOWED TO 250 KTS AND ASSESSED OUR SIT. AFTER TALKING TO TULSA TECHNICIAN, THEY ADVISED US IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE TO ORD, SO WE DID.

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.

A B757-200 in cruise at FL370 declared an emergency and descended due to a right windshield with extensive cracking.