Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
During flight at FL280 the First Officer's windshield spider webbed. We were in VMC with only some occasional light bumps. The First Officer was flying pilot and I was pilot not flying. We heard a loud pop and looked up to see the windshield cracked. I went to the QRH knowing we were going to divert; but wanting to follow SOP's. Once done with the QRH; I declared an emergency with Center and described the nature of our problem. The First Officer and I discussed our airport options and decided that ZZZ offered us a close airport with the best maintenance and passenger accommodations. I contacted the Flight Attendant and told him what was going on while the First Officer started getting us set up for landing at ZZZ. Due to the windshield damage on the First Officer's side; we switched duties so that I was the pilot flying and landed the plane. We descended rapidly but kept our airspeed low so we would not further damage the windshield. Approach boxed us around on a right downwind because we were a little high; and put us behind a MD-80 on approach. I was a bit annoyed that they put us behind another aircraft when we had declared an emergency; and queried the Controller. In retrospect; a close in visual would have been problematic with the windshield since I could not see the runway well out that side. Being able to line up with the runway farther out worked better and the windshield was holding well throughout. During the descent I made a PA and explained our situation to the passengers and why we were landing in ZZZ. The landing was normal and uneventful.
A CRJ200  windshield cracked on the First Officer's side at FL280. Flight diverted to the nearest suitable airport.