Cabin attendant notifies cockpit of smell of smoke in cabin. Both lavatory fire alarms sound.

Attributes
ACN	190756
Time
Date	199110
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	190756
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On climb out, the 'a' flight attendant reported the smell of smoke in the cabin. Shortly thereafter both the forward and aft lavatory smoke alarms went off. We were VFR and the airport was about 5 mi away so we received clearance to return to the airport expeditiously. After landing we pulled off the runway and stopped, configuring the aircraft for a possible evacuate/evacuation. I walked through the cabin to confirm no presence of fire. We elected to taxi to the gate and spoke directly with the fire crews to confirm no indications of fire outside the aircraft. We deplaned in a normal fashion and to my knowledge the source of smoke is still unaccounted for. I'd like to make a few comments. 1) I commend the captain for taking quick and decisive action to return to the field. 2) the flight attendants were prompt and thorough in informing us of the status of the cabin. 3) I think it was wise that we ascertained the condition of the airplane before risking the possibility of injuring somebody in an evacuate/evacuation unnecessarily.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT NOTIFIES COCKPIT OF SMELL OF SMOKE IN CABIN. BOTH LAVATORY FIRE ALARMS SOUND.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT, THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THE SMELL OF SMOKE IN THE CABIN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER BOTH THE FORWARD AND AFT LAVATORY SMOKE ALARMS WENT OFF. WE WERE VFR AND THE ARPT WAS ABOUT 5 MI AWAY SO WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO RETURN TO THE ARPT EXPEDITIOUSLY. AFTER LNDG WE PULLED OFF THE RWY AND STOPPED, CONFIGURING THE ACFT FOR A POSSIBLE EVAC. I WALKED THROUGH THE CABIN TO CONFIRM NO PRESENCE OF FIRE. WE ELECTED TO TAXI TO THE GATE AND SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH THE FIRE CREWS TO CONFIRM NO INDICATIONS OF FIRE OUTSIDE THE ACFT. WE DEPLANED IN A NORMAL FASHION AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE THE SOURCE OF SMOKE IS STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS. 1) I COMMEND THE CAPT FOR TAKING QUICK AND DECISIVE ACTION TO RETURN TO THE FIELD. 2) THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE PROMPT AND THOROUGH IN INFORMING US OF THE STATUS OF THE CABIN. 3) I THINK IT WAS WISE THAT WE ASCERTAINED THE CONDITION OF THE AIRPLANE BEFORE RISKING THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURING SOMEBODY IN AN EVAC UNNECESSARILY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.