A B737-200 flight is mandated to return land when smoke in cabin and high heat at seat row 7 while c...

Attributes
ACN	505685
Time
Date	200103
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : vacating altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	departure sid : ns
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 5700 flight time type : 1277
ASRS Report	505685
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	505434
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event other other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : cab 3
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We took off from lga with bleeds off, unpressurized, due to MEL'ed inoperative APU. At approximately 1500 ft MSL, aircraft bleed air was reconfigured as per supplemental normal checklist and a loud bang was heard shortly thereafter. We assumed this was the outflow valve closing abruptly. Climbing through approximately 3500 ft MSL we heard the flight attendants ringing the call bell. We made several attempts to contact the cabin crew unsuccessfully after which the lead flight attendant entered the cockpit to inform us we had 'smoke in the cabin' and 'heat' at approximately row 7. We immediately declared an emergency and requested vectors for a return to lga. The 'smoke and fumes' procedure in the QRH was initiated. After approximately 5 mins, the lead flight attendant returned to the cockpit to advise us the smoke had cleared and to confirm that we were returning to lga. She also requested an ETA and was informed we would be landing within 15 mins. The cockpit crew then removed oxygen masks and goggles, terminated the QRH procedure, and focused on the approach and landing. Landing was accomplished within 10 mins from the time we declared the emergency. Other factors: 1) during climb out, we determined the #1 engine EPR gauge was not functioning properly. Autothrottles were not available as a result, thereby increasing workload. 2) pilots and flight attendants felt more communication between us would have been beneficial, but very difficult due to the short time and very heavy workload preparing for landing. 3) also discussed whether diverting to ewr or jfk would have been a better choice but felt that time and distance were prohibitive. Lga was closer and, having just departed, we knew the WX conditions there. 4) also discussed the necessity for ground evacuate/evacuation but felt that once the smoke had been cleared, the immediate danger was over and that the potential for injury during evacuate/evacuation was a greater risk.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 FLT IS MANDATED TO RETURN LAND WHEN SMOKE IN CABIN AND HIGH HEAT AT SEAT ROW 7 WHILE CLBING THROUGH 5000 FT 10 MI FROM LGA, NY.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF FROM LGA WITH BLEEDS OFF, UNPRESSURIZED, DUE TO MEL'ED INOP APU. AT APPROX 1500 FT MSL, ACFT BLEED AIR WAS RECONFIGURED AS PER SUPPLEMENTAL NORMAL CHKLIST AND A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD SHORTLY THEREAFTER. WE ASSUMED THIS WAS THE OUTFLOW VALVE CLOSING ABRUPTLY. CLBING THROUGH APPROX 3500 FT MSL WE HEARD THE FLT ATTENDANTS RINGING THE CALL BELL. WE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE CABIN CREW UNSUCCESSFULLY AFTER WHICH THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO INFORM US WE HAD 'SMOKE IN THE CABIN' AND 'HEAT' AT APPROX ROW 7. WE IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED VECTORS FOR A RETURN TO LGA. THE 'SMOKE AND FUMES' PROC IN THE QRH WAS INITIATED. AFTER APPROX 5 MINS, THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT TO ADVISE US THE SMOKE HAD CLRED AND TO CONFIRM THAT WE WERE RETURNING TO LGA. SHE ALSO REQUESTED AN ETA AND WAS INFORMED WE WOULD BE LNDG WITHIN 15 MINS. THE COCKPIT CREW THEN REMOVED OXYGEN MASKS AND GOGGLES, TERMINATED THE QRH PROC, AND FOCUSED ON THE APCH AND LNDG. LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN 10 MINS FROM THE TIME WE DECLARED THE EMER. OTHER FACTORS: 1) DURING CLBOUT, WE DETERMINED THE #1 ENG EPR GAUGE WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. AUTOTHROTTLES WERE NOT AVAILABLE AS A RESULT, THEREBY INCREASING WORKLOAD. 2) PLTS AND FLT ATTENDANTS FELT MORE COM BTWN US WOULD HAVE BEEN BENEFICIAL, BUT VERY DIFFICULT DUE TO THE SHORT TIME AND VERY HVY WORKLOAD PREPARING FOR LNDG. 3) ALSO DISCUSSED WHETHER DIVERTING TO EWR OR JFK WOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER CHOICE BUT FELT THAT TIME AND DISTANCE WERE PROHIBITIVE. LGA WAS CLOSER AND, HAVING JUST DEPARTED, WE KNEW THE WX CONDITIONS THERE. 4) ALSO DISCUSSED THE NECESSITY FOR GND EVAC BUT FELT THAT ONCE THE SMOKE HAD BEEN CLRED, THE IMMEDIATE DANGER WAS OVER AND THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY DURING EVAC WAS A GREATER RISK.

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.

A B737-200 flight is mandated to return land when smoke in cabin and high heat at seat row 7 while climbing through 5000 ft 10 mi from lga, ny.