A CANADAIR CL-65 IN CLB AT FL 250 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO THE FO'S WINDSHIELD OUTER PANE SHATTERING.

Narrative

WHILE CLBING THROUGH 25000 FT A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD ON MY (FIRST OFFICERS) SIDE. MY WINDSHIELD HAD INSTANTLY SHATTERED. HOWEVER IT DID HOLD TOGETHER AND PRESSURIZATION WAS MAINTAINED. WE REQUESTED TO RETURN TO ZZZ AFTER DETERMINING THAT IT WOULD HOLD. WE ALSO DECLARED AN EMER AS A PRECAUTION AND STARTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. WE ALSO REDUCED AIRSPEED TO REDUCE STRESS TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAPT AND I THEN DISCUSSED WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS A CHKLIST FOR A SHATTERED WINDSHIELD. NEITHER OF US COULD RECALL EVER SEEING ONE IN THE QRH (QUICK REFERENCE HANDBOOK). AS I LOOKED AT THE TABS FOR EACH SECTION I COULD NOT FIND ONE THAT SAID WINDSHIELD ON IT. WE THEN CONTINUED OUR NORMAL PROCS AS WE RETURNED TO THE ARPT. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL AND WE TAXIED TO THE GATE WITHOUT INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE FO'S WINDSHIELD OUTER PANE SHATTERED IN A PATTERN THAT RESTRICTED VISIBILITY. THE RPTR SAID THE WINDOW HEAT WAS ON AND WITH A LOUD BANG THE WINDOW SHATTERED.