Burn odor in cockpit caused flight crew of medium large transport to land nearest suitable.

Attributes
ACN	195472
Time
Date	199111
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iow airport : cid
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	195472
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route an odd, burnt smell was detected in cockpit. Asked flight attendant if it was a galley smell -- burned wrapper in oven, etc, but galley was normal. Because smell was in cockpit, the left air conditioning supply system was turned off because the left supplies the cockpit air. At this time the smell intensified and a wisp of smoke noticed behind the landing gear handle. Left supply system restored and right supply system shut down. Smoke quickly dissipated but some odor remained. Reviewed and executed air conditioning smoke procedures and additionally pulled the ground spoiler motor circuit breakers. A precautionary emergency landing was made at cedar rapids, ia, airport. Normal landing and egress at jetway were performed. FBO mechanic and maintenance control determined that the ground spoiler motor which had been replaced in st louis the previous night had failed and 'burned up' in flight mode. Motor was deactivated and MEL'ed in cid and flight continued to msp late. No further crew action taken.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BURN ODOR IN COCKPIT CAUSED FLC OF MLG TO LAND NEAREST SUITABLE.

Narrative: ENRTE AN ODD, BURNT SMELL WAS DETECTED IN COCKPIT. ASKED FLT ATTENDANT IF IT WAS A GALLEY SMELL -- BURNED WRAPPER IN OVEN, ETC, BUT GALLEY WAS NORMAL. BECAUSE SMELL WAS IN COCKPIT, THE L AIR CONDITIONING SUPPLY SYS WAS TURNED OFF BECAUSE THE L SUPPLIES THE COCKPIT AIR. AT THIS TIME THE SMELL INTENSIFIED AND A WISP OF SMOKE NOTICED BEHIND THE LNDG GEAR HANDLE. L SUPPLY SYS RESTORED AND R SUPPLY SYS SHUT DOWN. SMOKE QUICKLY DISSIPATED BUT SOME ODOR REMAINED. REVIEWED AND EXECUTED AIR CONDITIONING SMOKE PROCS AND ADDITIONALLY PULLED THE GND SPOILER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS. A PRECAUTIONARY EMER LNDG WAS MADE AT CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, ARPT. NORMAL LNDG AND EGRESS AT JETWAY WERE PERFORMED. FBO MECH AND MAINT CTL DETERMINED THAT THE GND SPOILER MOTOR WHICH HAD BEEN REPLACED IN ST LOUIS THE PREVIOUS NIGHT HAD FAILED AND 'BURNED UP' IN FLT MODE. MOTOR WAS DEACTIVATED AND MEL'ED IN CID AND FLT CONTINUED TO MSP LATE. NO FURTHER CREW ACTION TAKEN.

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.