SF 340B
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
At level-off FL200 we heard a loud sound from the front windshield. The right-hand (First Officer Side) windshield cracked. We notified ATC of the issue and requested a descent to 10;000 FT MSL and notified ATC that we would need to fly at approximately 170 KIAS the rest of the way to our destination. We contacting Dispatch through a nearby station's operations office to determine if the aircraft was structurally sound to make it to our filed destination. We determined that our filed destination was the most suitable airport because the inside window did not have any cracks; we did not have any pressurization issues; and weather was passing through most of the southwest was IFR with low ceilings and poor to nil visibility and we did not want to risk further strain on the windshield; from pressurization in the case of a missed approach. ATC was able to give us direct; to save time and distance with deviations around cells when required by us. The Captain flew the approach and landing; (due to the defect) and we were able to shoot a normal ILS and landing without incident.
A SF340B First Officer outer non-structural window pane cracked at FL200. The flight continued to the planned destination.