CE-680 Captain reported the left windshield cracked during climb necessitating a diversion to a nearby airport.

Date: 2023-03 · Aircraft: Cessna Citation Sovereign (C680) · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

CE-680 Captain reported the left windshield cracked during climb necessitating a diversion to a nearby airport.

Narrative

We departed ZZZ with just a crew of 2 onboard to ZZZ1. Takeoff; climb; and cruise was uneventful. We leveled at fl400 for about 10 minutes or so when we heard a thump. Looked up and the left windshield was completely cracked. I was the Captain onboard and the pilot not flying (PNF). I told the pilot flying that I'm taking over controls of the plane and the radios and asked for the checklist. I asked center for an immediate descent. The controller did a terrific job clearing traffic for us as we began our descent and taking care of the necessary checklists. We decided that ZZZ3 was our best choice because of the length of runways and weather at the time compared to other nearby airports. The windshield looked pretty bad and was a concern of mine. I was ready with my goggles and personal glasses in case the windshield actually shattered. We took care of the checklists and made a very uneventful descent and approach into ZZZ3. On downwind for the approach; the left middle window also cracked. I had the co-pilot fly the plane on final and make the landing since my visibility was very limited. We taxied over to the FBO with no issues.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.