Burning odor and some smoke in cabin immediately after takeoff. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	122366
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	122366
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On sep/sun/89, I departed dfw in command of flight XXXX bound for san antonio. Taxi out and takeoff were normal. Upon power reduction to climb power at 1000' AGL, we noticed a burning odor in the cockpit. A few seconds later the F/a chime went off, and they said that they had a burning odor and some smoke in the cabin. One of the F/a's also said that she thought she saw some smoke coming from one of the engines. I decided to return to dfw to make a precautionary landing. We were vectored for a right downwind and right base into 18R, and a normal approach and landing were made. Upon clearing the runway, the aircraft was inspected by ground personnel, and no indication of smoke or fire was found. I decided not to evacuate and to return to the gate. Maintenance inspected the aircraft, and I believe they found that one of the ahrs units had overheated and caused the odor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BURNING ODOR AND SOME SMOKE IN CABIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: ON SEP/SUN/89, I DEPARTED DFW IN COMMAND OF FLT XXXX BOUND FOR SAN ANTONIO. TAXI OUT AND TKOF WERE NORMAL. UPON POWER REDUCTION TO CLIMB POWER AT 1000' AGL, WE NOTICED A BURNING ODOR IN THE COCKPIT. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE F/A CHIME WENT OFF, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD A BURNING ODOR AND SOME SMOKE IN THE CABIN. ONE OF THE F/A'S ALSO SAID THAT SHE THOUGHT SHE SAW SOME SMOKE COMING FROM ONE OF THE ENGINES. I DECIDED TO RETURN TO DFW TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. WE WERE VECTORED FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND AND RIGHT BASE INTO 18R, AND A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG WERE MADE. UPON CLEARING THE RWY, THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED BY GND PERSONNEL, AND NO INDICATION OF SMOKE OR FIRE WAS FOUND. I DECIDED NOT TO EVACUATE AND TO RETURN TO THE GATE. MAINT INSPECTED THE ACFT, AND I BELIEVE THEY FOUND THAT ONE OF THE AHRS UNITS HAD OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THE ODOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.