Narrative:

Departed den. During climb, flight attendant called to report strong hot smell in aft cabin. Coffee maker and oven were shut off, but odor seemed to get stronger. Sent so back to assess condition. He confirmed strong smell. No smoke visible. All galley power was removed. So reported that smell was continuing and oven appeared to be overheated. Flight attendants and passenger were concerned. Talked to maintenance control and dispatch and decided to return to den. Decision not to declare an emergency and make emergency landing in cos was based on no visible smoke and smell/odor was contained to aft galley. Observer member of crew (deadheading pilot) was sent back to the aft galley to continue assessing and to advise if any change. Returned to den for a normal landing. We received very good service from ATC, with the exception that every controller we talked to would ask the same question, ie, say nature of problem, are you declaring an emergency? Do you need the equipment standing by? What is the tail number of your aircraft? I was slightly surprised that this information wasn't shared between controllers or facilities. All in all, we received good support from all our ATC friends.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CLBING B727 FLC IS INFORMED OF FUMES EMANATING FROM THE REAR GALLEY OVEN. ELECTRICAL PWR IS CUT OFF AND FLT RETURNS TO DEN, CO. CAPT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER WITH ZDV, CO.

Narrative: DEPARTED DEN. DURING CLB, FLT ATTENDANT CALLED TO RPT STRONG HOT SMELL IN AFT CABIN. COFFEE MAKER AND OVEN WERE SHUT OFF, BUT ODOR SEEMED TO GET STRONGER. SENT SO BACK TO ASSESS CONDITION. HE CONFIRMED STRONG SMELL. NO SMOKE VISIBLE. ALL GALLEY PWR WAS REMOVED. SO RPTED THAT SMELL WAS CONTINUING AND OVEN APPEARED TO BE OVERHEATED. FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX WERE CONCERNED. TALKED TO MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH AND DECIDED TO RETURN TO DEN. DECISION NOT TO DECLARE AN EMER AND MAKE EMER LNDG IN COS WAS BASED ON NO VISIBLE SMOKE AND SMELL/ODOR WAS CONTAINED TO AFT GALLEY. OBSERVER MEMBER OF CREW (DEADHEADING PLT) WAS SENT BACK TO THE AFT GALLEY TO CONTINUE ASSESSING AND TO ADVISE IF ANY CHANGE. RETURNED TO DEN FOR A NORMAL LNDG. WE RECEIVED VERY GOOD SVC FROM ATC, WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT EVERY CTLR WE TALKED TO WOULD ASK THE SAME QUESTION, IE, SAY NATURE OF PROB, ARE YOU DECLARING AN EMER? DO YOU NEED THE EQUIP STANDING BY? WHAT IS THE TAIL NUMBER OF YOUR ACFT? I WAS SLIGHTLY SURPRISED THAT THIS INFO WASN'T SHARED BTWN CTLRS OR FACILITIES. ALL IN ALL, WE RECEIVED GOOD SUPPORT FROM ALL OUR ATC FRIENDS.

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.