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A super MD80 in descent at FL200 declared an emergency and started a diversion due to strong smell of smoke in cabin and cockpit caused by a passenger lighting matches. Emergency was canceled and flight continued to lga.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 421442 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199811 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ard |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 421442 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
Narrative:
While descending for lga on the minks 1 arrival, #1 flight attendant entered the cockpit and informed us that there was a strong smell of smoke in the first class cabin. She also stated that she had done a quick check for a source of the smoke, and could find nothing. We told her to check the first class lavatory thoroughly and report back. While this was transpiring, we also noticed a very strong smoke smell in the cockpit. I told first officer to declare an emergency, and that we would land at phl, which we could see of the right side of the aircraft. About 20 seconds later, the #1 flight attendant returned to the cockpit and informed us that she had found a first class passenger -- who had been lighting matches in order to change the smell of the cabin -- which she apparently didn't like. We told ZDC exactly what we had just been told and asked to end the declared emergency and continue to lga, which we did with no further incidents.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A SUPER MD80 IN DSCNT AT FL200 DECLARED AN EMER AND STARTED A DIVERSION DUE TO STRONG SMELL OF SMOKE IN CABIN AND COCKPIT CAUSED BY A PAX LIGHTING MATCHES. EMER WAS CANCELED AND FLT CONTINUED TO LGA.
Narrative: WHILE DSNDING FOR LGA ON THE MINKS 1 ARR, #1 FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT AND INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF SMOKE IN THE FIRST CLASS CABIN. SHE ALSO STATED THAT SHE HAD DONE A QUICK CHK FOR A SOURCE OF THE SMOKE, AND COULD FIND NOTHING. WE TOLD HER TO CHK THE FIRST CLASS LAVATORY THOROUGHLY AND RPT BACK. WHILE THIS WAS TRANSPIRING, WE ALSO NOTICED A VERY STRONG SMOKE SMELL IN THE COCKPIT. I TOLD FO TO DECLARE AN EMER, AND THAT WE WOULD LAND AT PHL, WHICH WE COULD SEE OF THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT. ABOUT 20 SECONDS LATER, THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT AND INFORMED US THAT SHE HAD FOUND A FIRST CLASS PAX -- WHO HAD BEEN LIGHTING MATCHES IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE SMELL OF THE CABIN -- WHICH SHE APPARENTLY DIDN'T LIKE. WE TOLD ZDC EXACTLY WHAT WE HAD JUST BEEN TOLD AND ASKED TO END THE DECLARED EMER AND CONTINUE TO LGA, WHICH WE DID WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS.
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.