A B737-800 captain's forward window cracked with bright arcing and burning in upper left corner. An emergency was declared with a diversion to a nearby airport.

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Attributes
ACN	776105
Time
Date	200802
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 34000
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc tower : mmmx.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	776105
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 3
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 30 flight attendant time total : 30 flight attendant time type : 1
ASRS Report	776476
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While in cruise at FL340; the captain's forward window (L1) shattered and began to electrically burn or arc at 2 different spots in the upper left hand corner of the window. We depowered the left windows; donned our masks; and started an emergency descent with center. We then proceeded to divert to ZZZ. I was the pilot monitoring until the captain decided to xfer duties of flying to me as his forward visibility was reduced somewhat. We landed uneventfully. Supplemental information from acn 776476: the cockpit windshield arced and started smoking and then cracked. The other main cabin flight attendant and myself were waiting for a smoother flight. Finally; we were pulling the cart to the front of the main cabin when the #1 flight attendant answered the call from the cockpit. We were advised to stow everything and we would be landing in ZZZ. The flight attendants felt very dizzy; light headed and had headaches. We donned oxygen. I was told the B757 and B737 have had several similar incidents in the past several months.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 CAPT'S FORWARD WINDOW CRACKED WITH BRIGHT ARCING AND BURNING IN UPPER L CORNER. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH A DIVERSION TO A NEARBY ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE AT FL340; THE CAPT'S FORWARD WINDOW (L1) SHATTERED AND BEGAN TO ELECTRICALLY BURN OR ARC AT 2 DIFFERENT SPOTS IN THE UPPER L HAND CORNER OF THE WINDOW. WE DEPOWERED THE L WINDOWS; DONNED OUR MASKS; AND STARTED AN EMER DSCNT WITH CTR. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO DIVERT TO ZZZ. I WAS THE PLT MONITORING UNTIL THE CAPT DECIDED TO XFER DUTIES OF FLYING TO ME AS HIS FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED SOMEWHAT. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 776476: THE COCKPIT WINDSHIELD ARCED AND STARTED SMOKING AND THEN CRACKED. THE OTHER MAIN CABIN FLT ATTENDANT AND MYSELF WERE WAITING FOR A SMOOTHER FLT. FINALLY; WE WERE PULLING THE CART TO THE FRONT OF THE MAIN CABIN WHEN THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT ANSWERED THE CALL FROM THE COCKPIT. WE WERE ADVISED TO STOW EVERYTHING AND WE WOULD BE LNDG IN ZZZ. THE FLT ATTENDANTS FELT VERY DIZZY; LIGHT HEADED AND HAD HEADACHES. WE DONNED OXYGEN. I WAS TOLD THE B757 AND B737 HAVE HAD SEVERAL SIMILAR INCIDENTS IN THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.