MD-11
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
[We were] descending on arrival; at 12;000 FT and 300 KTS; windshield heat normal-on. First Officer's windscreen started arcing sparks and glowing yellow which caused the windscreen to crack the entire width of the window. As pilot flying; I handed over the aircraft to the Captain and at his suggestion; donned my full face mask oxygen mask and ran the emergency procedure checklist for cracked windscreen. We declared an emergency and received expeditious handling to landing.
An MD11 windshield heat arced then the windshield cracked during descent at 12;000 FT. An emergency was declared and flight landed at destination.