Commuter at takeoff has flight attendant call to report a smoke warning. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	232780
Time
Date	199301
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orh
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : orh
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 340 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	232780
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Immediately on takeoff the flight attendant called the cockpit and said that she had a smoke warning in the lavatory. She was very upset and wasn't sure if it was a false warning or not. I elected to declare emergency and returned to the airport as I was still in the air traffic area. We landed. I sent the first officer back to investigate the lavatory. Just before landing, my flight attendant called back and said the alarm stopped and there was no smoke in the lavatory. We had the fire department check the lavatory and found nothing wrong. I then called the company and spoke to dispatcher and he said that if maintenance could work it out it would be all right with him. The company MEL'd the lavatory and I made announcement to the passenger as to what happened, and we continued to lga.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER AT TKOF HAS FLT ATTENDANT CALL TO RPT A SMOKE WARNING. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: IMMEDIATELY ON TKOF THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE COCKPIT AND SAID THAT SHE HAD A SMOKE WARNING IN THE LAVATORY. SHE WAS VERY UPSET AND WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS A FALSE WARNING OR NOT. I ELECTED TO DECLARE EMER AND RETURNED TO THE ARPT AS I WAS STILL IN THE ATA. WE LANDED. I SENT THE FO BACK TO INVESTIGATE THE LAVATORY. JUST BEFORE LNDG, MY FLT ATTENDANT CALLED BACK AND SAID THE ALARM STOPPED AND THERE WAS NO SMOKE IN THE LAVATORY. WE HAD THE FIRE DEPT CHK THE LAVATORY AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I THEN CALLED THE COMPANY AND SPOKE TO DISPATCHER AND HE SAID THAT IF MAINT COULD WORK IT OUT IT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT WITH HIM. THE COMPANY MEL'D THE LAVATORY AND I MADE ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX AS TO WHAT HAPPENED, AND WE CONTINUED TO LGA.

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.