B737-700
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 143; Flight Crew Type 517
Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure; Workload; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft; Chart Or Publication
During climb out; we were passing about 11;700 feet MSL when we heard a pop and I noticed that the Captain's L2 side window had shattered. While the internal pane appeared to be holding; the outer pane had completely shattered and it was impossible to tell if the middle pane was damaged. We immediately leveled off and informed ATC. We completed the appropriate QRH procedure. The Captain coordinated with Dispatch and decided to divert to a nearby 	Maintenance station. All normal checklists were completed and a normal landing was made on Runway 24. The gross weight of the landing was 138;400 pounds which resulted in an overweight landing. We touched down at 129 knots in the touchdown zone and normal brake application began at 60 knots. During the arrival; we received a Dispatch message advising us to declare an emergency due to the overweight landing; which we did. However; after arrival at the gate; we reviewed the AOM; which indicates that an overweight landing by itself does not require an emergency to be declared.
A B737-700 Captain's siding window outer panel shattered during climb. After completing the QRH procedure the crew diverted to a nearby Maintenance station where a normal overweight landing was completed.