PA-46 Malibu Meridian
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 47; Flight Crew Total 3112; Flight Crew Type 1998
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Object
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Environment - Non Weather Related
While cruising at FL180 enroute from ZZZ to ZZZ1 under control of ATC an unknown foreign object impact the pilot windshield fracturing the out glass layer. The windshield remained intact. I [advised] to ATC and requested vectors to the nearest suitable airport ZZZ2. An instrument approach was required with an uneventful landing. The incident resulted to no injuries to the pilot or passenger onboard. The unknown foreign object appears to possibly been some form of space debris for at the time of the incident the aircraft was not near any convective activity nor was the it experiencing any other weather phenomenon.
PA46 single pilot reported an uneventful diversion due to an in-flight encounter during cruise with an unknown object resulting windshield damage.