CRJ-900 reported a 'R Windshield Heat' caution message followed by the windshield shattering. Crew performed checklists and landed uneventfully.
Synopsis
CRJ-900 reported a 'R Windshield Heat' caution message followed by the windshield shattering. Crew performed checklists and landed uneventfully.
Narrative
On Day 0 I was Captain and performing pilot flying duties on Flight XXXX from ZZZ-ZZZ1. We had just leveled off at FL290 when we got a 'R wshield heat' caution message. We were in the middle of talking to ATC so it took us about a minute to run the QRH. The QRH procedure said to turn the associated side off and then back on again. We did this and the message went away. A few seconds later I looked at the First Officer's (FO's) front windshield and noted a hairline crack coming from the bottom center pillar across and ending in the middle of the windshield. At that point I called for the non EICAS crack windshield checklist. We ran that QRH for that and then we hit the top of descent for the ZZZZZ arrival into ZZZ1 So we started down. The non EICAS basically said to monitor for pressurization and what to do if it starts to unpressurized. When we were about to come through FL190 a loud pop was heard and the windshield shattered. When this happen I requested a descent to 11;000 feet and requested to slow to 200 kts. because 11000 feet was the bottom altitude on that arrival and 200 kts. was below the speed stated in the QRH for the cracked windshield. We did this and started talking with Dispatch. ATC gave us direct to ZZZ and priority handling. When we got on with approach they got priority handling for us. While ACARS with the company it was made known to us that they wanted us to go to ZZZ2 instead of ZZZ1 where they could find us a replacement plane. We informed ATC and shot an approach to XXL into ZZZ2 landed safely; taxied off and went to the gate without issue.Cause: Maintenance said it was probably due to a faulty windshield heating unit.
Second reporter narrative
Today we departed from ZZZ for ZZZ1 and while level at FL 290 we received a caution message for R Windshield Heat and noticed a crack beginning to form on the First Officer's (FO's) front windshield (my side). We ran the QRH for R Windshield Heat and followed it by briefing the non-EICAS QRH for windshield heat crack. In adherence to the second QRH we turned off R Windshield Heat; slowed down and begun our descent. During the descent the R Windshield shattered completely. We were roughly 25 minutes from ZZZ1 so the Captain reached out to Maintenance and Dispatch who told us to divert to ZZZ2. ATC got priority handling for us and the rest of the flight was uneventful.Cause: Maintenance says it was due to a faulty windshield heating unit.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.