An MD80 in climb experienced smoke in the cabin caused by a malfunctioning right pack.

Attributes
ACN	380493
Time
Date	199709
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fll
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zma
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	380493
Person 2
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 : 8200 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	380244
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On climb out we had difficulty controling the right air conditioning pack temperature. There seemed to be excessive noise associated with the air conditioning system. We received a call from the aft cabin flight attendant advising us of smoke in the cabin and that the aft lavatory smoke alarm had sounded. We assumed a right air conditioning pack problem and completed the aircraft smoke checklist, while making a precautionary turn back to fll. A company first officer on board monitored the situation aft cabin and reported that the smoke had stopped and dissipated. Having completed the appropriate checklists we continued to bwi on 1 air conditioning pack. Having an additional, uniformed, trained crew member on board was a great help. Excellent CRM by all. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that after the problem was isolated to the right pack the smoke dissipated. The reporter said no information was available from maintenance as to the corrective action on the right air conditioning pack.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 IN CLB EXPERIENCED SMOKE IN THE CABIN CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTIONING R PACK.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT WE HAD DIFFICULTY CTLING THE R AIR CONDITIONING PACK TEMP. THERE SEEMED TO BE EXCESSIVE NOISE ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYS. WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE AFT CABIN FLT ATTENDANT ADVISING US OF SMOKE IN THE CABIN AND THAT THE AFT LAVATORY SMOKE ALARM HAD SOUNDED. WE ASSUMED A R AIR CONDITIONING PACK PROB AND COMPLETED THE ACFT SMOKE CHKLIST, WHILE MAKING A PRECAUTIONARY TURN BACK TO FLL. A COMPANY FO ON BOARD MONITORED THE SIT AFT CABIN AND RPTED THAT THE SMOKE HAD STOPPED AND DISSIPATED. HAVING COMPLETED THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS WE CONTINUED TO BWI ON 1 AIR CONDITIONING PACK. HAVING AN ADDITIONAL, UNIFORMED, TRAINED CREW MEMBER ON BOARD WAS A GREAT HELP. EXCELLENT CRM BY ALL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT AFTER THE PROB WAS ISOLATED TO THE R PACK THE SMOKE DISSIPATED. THE RPTR SAID NO INFO WAS AVAILABLE FROM MAINT AS TO THE CORRECTIVE ACTION ON THE R AIR CONDITIONING PACK.

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.