Narrative:

Descending into salt lake city, cockpit crew encountered smell of smoke in cockpit. Flight attendants were notified and smell of smoke in cabin was also present. Previous to descent into salt lake city, approximately 100 mi east of denver, a faint similar smell was noticed. Cockpit discussion concluded that forest fires in new mexico were a probable factor of distinct, non electrical odor. Stratus layers of smoky content were observed at altitude. Diverts and descent were nonetheless discussed. Smell of smoke dissipated within 5 mins and flight to salt lake city was continued. The flight proceeded normally for about the next hour. At approximately FL180 on descent into salt lake city, the smell returned stronger than before. An emergency was declared, the appropriate checklists completed and the aircraft was given priority handling for the remaining 40 mi to the slc airport. At no time was smoke visible within aircraft. Slc crash fire rescue equipment personnel met aircraft and inspected exterior. Nothing exceptional was noted. The odor appeared to dissipate, so the aircraft taxied to the gate. Maintenance personnel met the aircraft at the gate and upon entering remarked of a distinct 'smoky' smell in the aircraft. Maintenance changed the pack coalescer bags and cleared aircraft for flight. Company operations cleared the crew to continue the rotation and flight crew flew the same aircraft on the next segment without further incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 ON DSCNT AT FL180 DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO SMELL OF SMOKE IN THE CABIN.

Narrative: DSNDING INTO SALT LAKE CITY, COCKPIT CREW ENCOUNTERED SMELL OF SMOKE IN COCKPIT. FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOTIFIED AND SMELL OF SMOKE IN CABIN WAS ALSO PRESENT. PREVIOUS TO DSCNT INTO SALT LAKE CITY, APPROX 100 MI E OF DENVER, A FAINT SIMILAR SMELL WAS NOTICED. COCKPIT DISCUSSION CONCLUDED THAT FOREST FIRES IN NEW MEXICO WERE A PROBABLE FACTOR OF DISTINCT, NON ELECTRICAL ODOR. STRATUS LAYERS OF SMOKY CONTENT WERE OBSERVED AT ALT. DIVERTS AND DSCNT WERE NONETHELESS DISCUSSED. SMELL OF SMOKE DISSIPATED WITHIN 5 MINS AND FLT TO SALT LAKE CITY WAS CONTINUED. THE FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY FOR ABOUT THE NEXT HR. AT APPROX FL180 ON DSCNT INTO SALT LAKE CITY, THE SMELL RETURNED STRONGER THAN BEFORE. AN EMER WAS DECLARED, THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS COMPLETED AND THE ACFT WAS GIVEN PRIORITY HANDLING FOR THE REMAINING 40 MI TO THE SLC ARPT. AT NO TIME WAS SMOKE VISIBLE WITHIN ACFT. SLC CFR PERSONNEL MET ACFT AND INSPECTED EXTERIOR. NOTHING EXCEPTIONAL WAS NOTED. THE ODOR APPEARED TO DISSIPATE, SO THE ACFT TAXIED TO THE GATE. MAINT PERSONNEL MET THE ACFT AT THE GATE AND UPON ENTERING REMARKED OF A DISTINCT 'SMOKY' SMELL IN THE ACFT. MAINT CHANGED THE PACK COALESCER BAGS AND CLRED ACFT FOR FLT. COMPANY OPS CLRED THE CREW TO CONTINUE THE ROTATION AND FLC FLEW THE SAME ACFT ON THE NEXT SEGMENT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.