B737-400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure; Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Distraction
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Cruising at 33;000 FT First Officer's forward window cracked and kept spreading. [There was a] line of thunderstorms ahead; [we] descended to 10;000 FT. Many cracks were still spreading. Closest airport was off to our right about 35 miles. QRH said to land at 'nearest suitable' airport. We diverted. Possibly equipment fatigue. Contract Maintenance said he had never seen one quite that bad.
A B737-400 First Officer windshield cracked so the flight diverted to the nearest airport for a precautionary landing as per the QRH.