Date: 201909
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class E ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Center ZZZ
Aircraft component: Cockpit Window
Component problem: Failed
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Situational Awareness
Second reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; First Officer
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: During climb phase of flight; CA (Captain) side windshield cracked at approximately 17;800 ft. I was the flying pilot. I stated; 'We need to get down.' FO (First Officer) immediately notified ATC of our situation and requested priority handling back to ZZZ. ATC assisted us with our request. We safely landed the aircraft without further damage and injuries to crew members or passengers. During this event; I did not comply with the company procedures of referring to QRH or transfer control to FO since his windshield was intact. After informing ATC; we were immediately given multiple heading and altitude changes to descend and fly towards the airport. While FO kept performing Pilot Monitoring duties; I kept flying. I was extremely concerned about further damage to the windshield and so began to slow down while descending and continued to descend. We were minutes away from the airport. By the time everything settled; we were on short final configuring to land. FO and I had brief moment to discuss QRH. He quickly referred to the QRH but was not able to locate the procedure. Because of the phase of flight; I felt the safest option was to land and put the QRH away. Safety is my priority and I take full responsibility for my action. We remained calm; utilized CRM and comprehensive communication but failed to comply with company SOP. In the future; I will follow company procedure by referring to QRH.


Second narrative: Aircraft sustained a cracked windshield on the entire Captain portion of the windshield during the climb out phase of flight climbing out of FL180. The Captain was the Pilot Flying and I; the assigned First Officer to the flight; was the Pilot Monitoring. The flight was to ZZZ1; a relatively short flight where preparation for landing starts prior to cruise due to duration of flight. While I was looking at airport information for the intended airport of arrival; I heard a loud thud. I looked up and noticed that the entire Captain windshield was severely cracked. It appeared as if the windshield could shatter at any moment. At this point the Captain immediately expressed the need to return to field and for a lower altitude. I called ATC to notify them that we have a cracked windshield. I told ATC we need to return to the field immediately with priority handling; and asked for a lower altitude. I started to prepare the aircraft for arrival and notified the flight attendants that we are returning to the field and need them to prepare the aircraft for arrival immediately. We ran the approach checklist and got performance data for Runway XXR at ZZZ. We received a call from the flight attendants asking if we were going to make an announcement to the passengers. I told them that we would but that at the current moment; we needed them to prepare the cabin for arrival and that we would call back with more information. As we received instructions from ATC for arrival; the Captain was concentrating on flying the aircraft while I continued to conduct arrival duties. I sent a short message to our Dispatcher letting him know that we are returning to ZZZ due to a cracked windshield on the Captain side. I called Airport Operations and requested a gate for our return to the field. As I spoke to the different ATC controllers vectoring us to ZZZ; I notified each controller of souls/fuel on board; the need for priority handling; and no equipment requested. As we got our final vector to the XXR localizer; I looked around the flight deck and tried to determine if there was anything else we could do. We discussed the company Quick Reference Handbook and I looked for windshield damaged or windshield cracked however found no checklist procedure. I advised the Captain to put on his sunglasses and handed my sunglasses to the pilot observing who was sitting in the flight deck jump-seat since he had no eye protection; just in case the windshield shattered. I called the flight attendants and told them that we had sustained a damaged windshield and that we were returning to ZZZ. I made an announcement to the passengers and notified them that we were returning to ZZZ and to please remain seated with their seatbelts fastened. As a final communication to the flight attendants; I ensured that they understood that we [were] conducting a normal return to ZZZ and that no specials nor evacuations were to be conducted unless otherwise notified. Upon landing at ZZZ; I made an announcement to the passengers and explained why we returned to ZZZ and apologized for any inconvenience. We never ran the impaired / cracked windshield QRH procedure. I was very busy getting the aircraft ready for landing and should have been able to locate the procedure faster when we pulled out the QRH.After landing we found a procedure in the QRH under non annunciated > abnormal > impaired or cracked windshield. I think this should be listed as windshield cracked or perhaps cracked windshield. I did not think to look under 'impaired' for this procedure. Due to the high workload of the incident; once I pulled out the QRH; my mind was not on the different ways to describe a damaged windshield and moved onto other things and trying to assist the Captain in any way I could and informing all affected parties of what occurred. As I continue to review the QRH procedures and consider what I could have done better; I think that donning the oxygen masks should be added to the checklist in order to prevent ingesting any glass in the event that the windshield did in fact end up shattering. This was a major concern of ours throughout the entire arrival.


Synopsis: EMB-175 flight crew reported windshield cracking on the Captain's side mid-flight resulting in a return to departure airport.