B767 flight crew reported returning to the departure airport after a flight attendant reported a bur...

Attributes
ACN	1420857
Time
Date	201701
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200 Flight Crew Total 7000 Flight Crew Type 1900
Person 2
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200 Flight Crew Total 12000
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Weight And Balance Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor

Narrative:

During climb out at 4000 MSL; the lead flight attendant called the flight deck and reported a burning smell throughout the cabin. We had a very experienced cabin crew and they assured me the source of the burning smell was not the galley ovens. I made the decision to return to [departure airport] as the source of burning smell could not be confirmed. After landing the burning smell dissipated; fire personnel found no exterior indication of burning; and there was no cabin source of fire found. The aircraft was not evacuated. An overweight landing was made; which led to a hot brakes situation. I requested airport firefighting personnel to complete an exterior inspection of the aircraft and I followed the appropriate hot brakes procedure from the QRH; and subsequent inspection of the brakes was accomplished by fire personnel. I contacted [maintenance] and it was deemed safe to taxi; [so] we proceeded to the gate. The appropriate electronic logbook entries were accomplished.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 flight crew reported returning to the departure airport after a Flight Attendant reported a burning smell in the cabin.

Narrative: During climb out at 4000 MSL; the lead flight attendant called the flight deck and reported a burning smell throughout the cabin. We had a very experienced cabin crew and they assured me the source of the burning smell was not the galley ovens. I made the decision to return to [departure airport] as the source of burning smell could not be confirmed. After landing the burning smell dissipated; Fire personnel found no exterior indication of burning; and there was no cabin source of fire found. The aircraft was not evacuated. An overweight landing was made; which led to a hot brakes situation. I requested airport firefighting personnel to complete an exterior inspection of the aircraft and I followed the appropriate hot brakes procedure from the QRH; and subsequent inspection of the brakes was accomplished by Fire personnel. I contacted [Maintenance] and it was deemed safe to taxi; [so] we proceeded to the gate. The appropriate electronic logbook entries were accomplished.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

B767 flight crew reported returning to the departure airport after a flight attendant reported a burning smell in the cabin.