Narrative:

Passing 3000 ft after takeoff from cvg, the 'left air conditioning temperature high' light illuminated. We followed operating manual procedures for that. We then received a call from the flight attendants informing us there had been a strong smell in the back and that the aft right lavatory smoke detector had sounded. However, they also reported that the detector stopped sounding and the smell began to dissipate after opening the under sink door. At that point, we called atl maintenance. While talking to maintenance, we received another call from the flight attendants stating that the smell had returned. We got clearance to return, stopped our climb and began a turning descent toward cvg. Almost immediately thereafter, the flight attendants called again to tell us the smell was getting stronger and that a deadheading crew was of the opinion the smell was electrical in nature. We declared an emergency, started the pom procedure for smoke and fumes removal, and began an emergency descent into sdf, which was almost under the nose. We kept ATC informed of our intentions. During the descent, I turned the left pack off. The cabin altitude began climbing and at approximately 15000 ft the oxygen masks deployed. The remainder of the approach and landing was uneventful. We stopped on the runway and deplaned the passenger out the aft airstairs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 CREW, AFTER DEPARTING CVG, EXPERIENCED AN AIR CONDITIONING HIGH TEMP LIGHT AND THE SMELL OF SMOKE IN THE CABIN.

Narrative: PASSING 3000 FT AFTER TKOF FROM CVG, THE 'L AIR CONDITIONING TEMP HIGH' LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WE FOLLOWED OPERATING MANUAL PROCS FOR THAT. WE THEN RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE FLT ATTENDANTS INFORMING US THERE HAD BEEN A STRONG SMELL IN THE BACK AND THAT THE AFT R LAVATORY SMOKE DETECTOR HAD SOUNDED. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO RPTED THAT THE DETECTOR STOPPED SOUNDING AND THE SMELL BEGAN TO DISSIPATE AFTER OPENING THE UNDER SINK DOOR. AT THAT POINT, WE CALLED ATL MAINT. WHILE TALKING TO MAINT, WE RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL FROM THE FLT ATTENDANTS STATING THAT THE SMELL HAD RETURNED. WE GOT CLRNC TO RETURN, STOPPED OUR CLB AND BEGAN A TURNING DSCNT TOWARD CVG. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED AGAIN TO TELL US THE SMELL WAS GETTING STRONGER AND THAT A DEADHEADING CREW WAS OF THE OPINION THE SMELL WAS ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. WE DECLARED AN EMER, STARTED THE POM PROC FOR SMOKE AND FUMES REMOVAL, AND BEGAN AN EMER DSCNT INTO SDF, WHICH WAS ALMOST UNDER THE NOSE. WE KEPT ATC INFORMED OF OUR INTENTIONS. DURING THE DSCNT, I TURNED THE L PACK OFF. THE CABIN ALT BEGAN CLBING AND AT APPROX 15000 FT THE OXYGEN MASKS DEPLOYED. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE STOPPED ON THE RWY AND DEPLANED THE PAX OUT THE AFT AIRSTAIRS.

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.