Narrative:

After departing lax and climbing through 10000 ft the aircraft started to vibrate and an electrical odor was present in the cockpit. At approximately 11500 ft the vent blower ECAM was displayed. The aircraft was leveled off and the ECAM action was completed. Due to the strong smell of electrical smoke and the airframe vibration, a decision was made to return to lax. ATC, dispatch, and flight attendant's were notified. And an uneventful overweight landing was made. The emergency equipment was standing by. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the vibrations and fumes were caused by an override fan that had fan blades grinding on the fan assembly. The reporter said the fan overheated and caused the electrical fumes but the fan circuit breaker did not trip.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 320 IN CLB AT 11500 FT EXPERIENCED ACFT VIBRATIONS AND ELECTRICAL FUMES. RETURNED TO LAX. CAUSED BY OVERHEATED OVERRIDE FAN.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING LAX AND CLIMBING THROUGH 10000 FT THE ACFT STARTED TO VIBRATE AND AN ELECTRICAL ODOR WAS PRESENT IN THE COCKPIT. AT APPROX 11500 FT THE VENT BLOWER ECAM WAS DISPLAYED. THE ACFT WAS LEVELED OFF AND THE ECAM ACTION WAS COMPLETED. DUE TO THE STRONG SMELL OF ELECTRICAL SMOKE AND THE AIRFRAME VIBRATION, A DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO LAX. ATC, DISPATCH, AND FA'S WERE NOTIFIED. AND AN UNEVENTFUL OVERWEIGHT LNDG WAS MADE. THE EMER EQUIP WAS STANDING BY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE VIBRATIONS AND FUMES WERE CAUSED BY AN OVERRIDE FAN THAT HAD FAN BLADES GRINDING ON THE FAN ASSEMBLY. THE RPTR SAID THE FAN OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL FUMES BUT THE FAN CIRCUIT BREAKER DID NOT TRIP.

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.