Narrative:

On takeoff bound for tampa, #1 flight attendant called and stated he smelled something burning. We notified nassau tower we were returning. On short downwind, #1 flight attendant (after he and the #2 flight attendant walked through the cabin) stated he did not see any smoke or flames and the smell was not as bad. We decided to make a routine landing and taxi to gate. We did not declare an emergency at this time, however, nassau had crash fire rescue equipment waiting for us. On short final on touchdown, the #1 flight attendant rang up and stated 'the smell is now quite bad.' I landed the aircraft and taxied off on taxiway east, where the crash fire rescue equipment were waiting. At this point, I did not know if we had a fire or not, so I just waited till aircraft stopped and got passenger off, which is what we did. A mechanic found it was a ballast by the overhead bin that caused the problem. No haul or passenger damage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATR CREW, TAKING OFF FROM MYNN, WERE INFORMED BY THE CABIN CREW THAT THE SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING WAS PRESENT IN THE CABIN.

Narrative: ON TKOF BOUND FOR TAMPA, #1 FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND STATED HE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. WE NOTIFIED NASSAU TWR WE WERE RETURNING. ON SHORT DOWNWIND, #1 FLT ATTENDANT (AFTER HE AND THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT WALKED THROUGH THE CABIN) STATED HE DID NOT SEE ANY SMOKE OR FLAMES AND THE SMELL WAS NOT AS BAD. WE DECIDED TO MAKE A ROUTINE LNDG AND TAXI TO GATE. WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER AT THIS TIME, HOWEVER, NASSAU HAD CFR WAITING FOR US. ON SHORT FINAL ON TOUCHDOWN, THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT RANG UP AND STATED 'THE SMELL IS NOW QUITE BAD.' I LANDED THE ACFT AND TAXIED OFF ON TXWY E, WHERE THE CFR WERE WAITING. AT THIS POINT, I DID NOT KNOW IF WE HAD A FIRE OR NOT, SO I JUST WAITED TILL ACFT STOPPED AND GOT PAX OFF, WHICH IS WHAT WE DID. A MECH FOUND IT WAS A BALLAST BY THE OVERHEAD BIN THAT CAUSED THE PROB. NO HAUL OR PAX DAMAGE.

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.