Flight attendant report regarding smoke in cabin of MD80 after takeoff. Flight crew notified and a r...

Attributes
ACN	377208
Time
Date	199708
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos
State Reference	MA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	377208
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
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

Narrative:

After takeoff out of boston, approximately 2-3 mins later, I noticed a burning type of electrical smell as well as a hazy-foggy appearance in the forward part of main cabin. It appeared to be smoke, but it was only located towards the forward part of the cabin as well as towards the ceiling and overhead compartments. I called #1 flight attendant to tell him what I saw, and he happened to notice it at the same time along with the #3 flight attendant. I went ahead and rang the cockpit to inform them just as #1 flight attendant was opening the cockpit door to also tell them what we were seeing. #1 flight attendant made an announcement explaining that we were headed back to boston and told everyone to remain calm, while walking through the cabin. The captain then made a PA explaining what we were planning on doing. We descended and landed in boston mins later. Fire trucks surrounded the airplane and firemen came onto the aircraft via the tailcone exit. The airplane was checked out and passenger were told to deplane the aircraft. Another aircraft at the next gate was used for our flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT REGARDING SMOKE IN CABIN OF MD80 AFTER TKOF. FLC NOTIFIED AND A RETURN LAND INITIATED.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF OUT OF BOSTON, APPROX 2-3 MINS LATER, I NOTICED A BURNING TYPE OF ELECTRICAL SMELL AS WELL AS A HAZY-FOGGY APPEARANCE IN THE FORWARD PART OF MAIN CABIN. IT APPEARED TO BE SMOKE, BUT IT WAS ONLY LOCATED TOWARDS THE FORWARD PART OF THE CABIN AS WELL AS TOWARDS THE CEILING AND OVERHEAD COMPARTMENTS. I CALLED #1 FLT ATTENDANT TO TELL HIM WHAT I SAW, AND HE HAPPENED TO NOTICE IT AT THE SAME TIME ALONG WITH THE #3 FLT ATTENDANT. I WENT AHEAD AND RANG THE COCKPIT TO INFORM THEM JUST AS #1 FLT ATTENDANT WAS OPENING THE COCKPIT DOOR TO ALSO TELL THEM WHAT WE WERE SEEING. #1 FLT ATTENDANT MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT EXPLAINING THAT WE WERE HEADED BACK TO BOSTON AND TOLD EVERYONE TO REMAIN CALM, WHILE WALKING THROUGH THE CABIN. THE CAPT THEN MADE A PA EXPLAINING WHAT WE WERE PLANNING ON DOING. WE DSNDED AND LANDED IN BOSTON MINS LATER. FIRE TRUCKS SURROUNDED THE AIRPLANE AND FIREMEN CAME ONTO THE ACFT VIA THE TAILCONE EXIT. THE AIRPLANE WAS CHKED OUT AND PAX WERE TOLD TO DEPLANE THE ACFT. ANOTHER ACFT AT THE NEXT GATE WAS USED FOR OUR FLT.

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.

Flight attendant report regarding smoke in cabin of MD80 after takeoff. Flight crew notified and a return land initiated.