Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
We were at cruise at FL260 when we heard a loud pop noise and the Captain's side front windshield outer panel shattered. We immediately checked to ensure pressure was stable (which it was); and decided to descend in case the other panes shattered as well. I (pilot flying) initiated a descent; the Captain (pilot monitoring) grabbed the QRH; and I advised ATC that our windshield shattered and we were in a descent to 10. The Controller cleared us down and asked if we wanted to declare an emergency; we didn't at that time but did a short time later with the same controller. A broken windshield; besides being startling with no obvious cause; creates at least two specific risks. One - of it worsening to the point that pressure is lost and/or breaks apart into the cockpit; and two - the visibility restrictions caused by a spider webbed window. We started descending prior to receiving clearance in order to minimize the first risk and notified the controller of our actions within a few hundred feet (at the first opportunity) to get an additional set of eyes to compensate for the second; and of course to keep the controller in the loop.
CRJ-200 First Officer reports a shattered Captain's side front windshield at FL260 and starts descending. ATC is advised and an emergency is declared before diverting to a suitable airport.