An MD11 in cruise declared an emergency and diverted due to strong smell of electrical burning or overheated insulation in the aft galley area and cabin.

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Attributes
ACN	431087
Time
Date	199903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rjoo.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 5
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 31 flight attendant time total : 31 flight attendant time type : 50
ASRS Report	431087
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : cab 1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Before takeoff, galley in main cabin no power, called cockpit. It took 2 or 3 times to finally get power in coach. We took off, started beverage/cocktail service. They galley asked me to break off the cart service to smell the l-hand side of cabin for electrical smell. I went to l-hand side and smelled electrical smell at 2 different areas -- 1 about midway 34-30 rows and also near the front of zone C behind bathrooms near monitors in cabin. The lights also in galley were not working (flickering). Also, over #2 did not work. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the flight had just reached cruise altitude when the smell was detected and was quite strong and definitely electrical. The reporter said there was never any visible smoke just the strong odor. The reporter said the flight diverted to narita but the corrective action taken by maintenance was not passed on to the flight attendants.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11 IN CRUISE DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO STRONG SMELL OF ELECTRICAL BURNING OR OVERHEATED INSULATION IN THE AFT GALLEY AREA AND CABIN.

Narrative: BEFORE TKOF, GALLEY IN MAIN CABIN NO POWER, CALLED COCKPIT. IT TOOK 2 OR 3 TIMES TO FINALLY GET PWR IN COACH. WE TOOK OFF, STARTED BEVERAGE/COCKTAIL SVC. THEY GALLEY ASKED ME TO BREAK OFF THE CART SVC TO SMELL THE L-HAND SIDE OF CABIN FOR ELECTRICAL SMELL. I WENT TO L-HAND SIDE AND SMELLED ELECTRICAL SMELL AT 2 DIFFERENT AREAS -- 1 ABOUT MIDWAY 34-30 ROWS AND ALSO NEAR THE FRONT OF ZONE C BEHIND BATHROOMS NEAR MONITORS IN CABIN. THE LIGHTS ALSO IN GALLEY WERE NOT WORKING (FLICKERING). ALSO, OVER #2 DID NOT WORK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE FLT HAD JUST REACHED CRUISE ALT WHEN THE SMELL WAS DETECTED AND WAS QUITE STRONG AND DEFINITELY ELECTRICAL. THE RPTR SAID THERE WAS NEVER ANY VISIBLE SMOKE JUST THE STRONG ODOR. THE RPTR SAID THE FLT DIVERTED TO NARITA BUT THE CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN BY MAINT WAS NOT PASSED ON TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS.

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.