A DC10-10 on descent at FL280 declared an emergency and landed due to fumes in cabin.

Attributes
ACN	474363
Time
Date	200005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 10
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	474363
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	474682
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : person 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

While descending into oakland, captain, first officer, and so smelled odor similar to wet or smoldering wood. Fire, smoke and fumes of unknown origin checklist was completed, and an emergency was declared. No smoke was seen in courier or cargo areas and no cabin cargo smoke lights were illuminated. Due to proximity of oakland airport, there was only enough time to complete in range, approach and before landing checklist. Time from odor detection to landing was estimated at under 12 mins. With oak tower, aircraft was met by oak crash fire rescue equipment and air carrier hazmat specialists. The area was inspected and found to have no odors. However, the same odor was detected when the first 2 cans were off. However, ramp manager and team could not pinpoint origin of odor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10-10 ON DSCNT AT FL280 DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED DUE TO FUMES IN CABIN.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING INTO OAKLAND, CAPT, FO, AND SO SMELLED ODOR SIMILAR TO WET OR SMOLDERING WOOD. FIRE, SMOKE AND FUMES OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED, AND AN EMER WAS DECLARED. NO SMOKE WAS SEEN IN COURIER OR CARGO AREAS AND NO CABIN CARGO SMOKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. DUE TO PROX OF OAKLAND ARPT, THERE WAS ONLY ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLETE IN RANGE, APCH AND BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST. TIME FROM ODOR DETECTION TO LNDG WAS ESTIMATED AT UNDER 12 MINS. WITH OAK TWR, ACFT WAS MET BY OAK CFR AND ACR HAZMAT SPECIALISTS. THE AREA WAS INSPECTED AND FOUND TO HAVE NO ODORS. HOWEVER, THE SAME ODOR WAS DETECTED WHEN THE FIRST 2 CANS WERE OFF. HOWEVER, RAMP MGR AND TEAM COULD NOT PINPOINT ORIGIN OF ODOR.

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.