FLT DIVERTED WHEN OUTER PANE OF WINDSHIELD CRACKED.

Narrative

WHILE FLYING A REVENUE FLT FROM BWI TO EWN AT 16000' (IFR FLT PLAN; VMC CONDITIONS; SMOOTH FLT); A LOUD POP NOISE WAS HEARD; WITH A SIMULTANEOUS CRACKING OF THE CAPT'S WINDSHIELD. (IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT ONLY THE OUTER LAYER HAD CRACKED AND THAT THE 2 INNER STRUCTURAL PANELS WERE NOT AFFECTED.) PWR WAS REDUCED AND A REQUEST TO BEGIN A DES WAS RADIOED TO WASH CENTER WITH VECTORS TO NEAREST AVAILABLE AIRFIELD. CENTER REPLIED WITH A VECTOR TO AN UNFAMILIAR AIRFIELD AND WE REQUESTED RICHMOND; VA; AND WERE GIVEN VECTORS TO RIC. WE CONTINUED DES AND LANDED AT RIC W/O FURTHER COMPLICATIONS. TO MY BEST KNOWLEDGE THIS IS THE 13TH OR 14TH FAILURE OF WINDSHIELDS (CRACKING LIKE WHAT I SAW) WITH THIS COMPANY WHILE FLYING THE MDT ACFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: A POOR DESIGN BY MANUFACTURER. CORRECTIVE ACTION: I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE CHIEF OF AIR CARRIER OPS THAT ALL 'ORIGINAL' WINDSHIELDS HAVE BEEN CHANGED AND 'HOPEFULLY' NO OTHER PROBS WILL OCCUR. OTHER COMMENTS: 1 OTHER CAPT (SENIOR TO ME) WAS SEVERELY CRITICIZED BY THE OWNER OF THIS COMPANY FOR REFUSING TO FLY HIS ACFT WITH A TOTALLY SIMILAR PROB AS MINE. I AGREED TO FERRY MY ACFT TO SALISBURY; MD; ONLY AFTER A SECOND MECH AGREED TO SIGN IT OFF AS STRUCTURALLY SOUND TO FLY AT 180 KTS MAX; PRESS BELOW .25; WINDSHIELD HEAT OFF; NO ICE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER PROBS INVOLVED WITH THIS RPT THAT AT THIS TIME I FEEL WOULD NOT SOLVE THE BASIC PROB: THE CAPT MUST HAVE AND MAKE THE FINAL DECISION--WILL I GO OR NOT?!