Narrative:

Side window shattered while at FL370. Unable to determine extent of damage. Elected to make emergency descent to avoid possible decompression. Initial plan was to continue towards den, but the first officer and I decided that the window was continuing to crack and we felt it would be best to get the aircraft on the ground sooner rather than later. Gjt became our new diversion airport. ACARS messages were sent to the company to alert them to our new alternate airport. ZDV was also notified. Passenger were briefed that this was a precautionary landing (brace position was not used). We did perform an overweight landing. The QRH was referenced prior to the approach in regards to overweight landing operations. Touchdown normal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 FLT CREW MADE AN EMER DSCNT AND LNDG DUE TO A CRACKED WINDSHIELD.

Narrative: SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED WHILE AT FL370. UNABLE TO DETERMINE EXTENT OF DAMAGE. ELECTED TO MAKE EMER DSCNT TO AVOID POSSIBLE DECOMPRESSION. INITIAL PLAN WAS TO CONTINUE TOWARDS DEN, BUT THE FO AND I DECIDED THAT THE WINDOW WAS CONTINUING TO CRACK AND WE FELT IT WOULD BE BEST TO GET THE ACFT ON THE GND SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. GJT BECAME OUR NEW DIVERSION ARPT. ACARS MESSAGES WERE SENT TO THE COMPANY TO ALERT THEM TO OUR NEW ALTERNATE ARPT. ZDV WAS ALSO NOTIFIED. PAX WERE BRIEFED THAT THIS WAS A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG (BRACE POS WAS NOT USED). WE DID PERFORM AN OVERWT LNDG. THE QRH WAS REFED PRIOR TO THE APCH IN REGARDS TO OVERWT LNDG OPS. TOUCHDOWN NORMAL.

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.