A310 flight crew reported that the forward cockpit windshield cracked during cruise.

Attributes
ACN	571430
Time
Date	200301
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ltaa.artcc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 34000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ltaa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A310
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	571430
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : window heat fault light other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At FL340, first officer windshield began arcing and cracked. Window heat fault light illuminated. Heat was turned off and crack stopped moving. Descended to FL240 and depressurized to 5.0 differential as per manual. Continued to cdg without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A310 FLT CREW REPORTED THAT THE FORWARD COCKPIT WINDSHIELD CRACKED DURING CRUISE.

Narrative: AT FL340, FO WINDSHIELD BEGAN ARCING AND CRACKED. WINDOW HEAT FAULT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. HEAT WAS TURNED OFF AND CRACK STOPPED MOVING. DSNDED TO FL240 AND DEPRESSURIZED TO 5.0 DIFFERENTIAL AS PER MANUAL. CONTINUED TO CDG WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.