Narrative:

While in cruise, a faint odor of smoke was detected on the flight deck. Shortly thereafter, ECAM displayed a 'vent extinguisher fault.' upon completing ECAM actions, odor became worse. We elected to divert the aircraft to bdl. First officer was requested to fly the aircraft while I coordinated the diversion and ran smoke checklists. An emergency was declared with ATC for priority handling to the airport. The flight attendants, passenger, and operations were notified of our diversion. ATC was notified of our intention to exceed 250 KTS below 10000 ft, and they gave us speed at our discretion. Upon completion of the QRH smoke checklist, the odor seemed to lessen somewhat. Crash fire rescue equipment was requested to the runway with approach control. A visual approach to an uneventful landing was made on runway 24 at bdl. As the situation seemed to be stabilized, I elected to taxi clear of the runway and proceed to the gate with fire escort. Passenger were deplaned onto the jetway. Maintenance found the avionics bay extraction fan motor had seized and overheated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER DECLARED AND A DIVERSION REQUESTED BY THE FLT CREW OF AN A320 WHEN AN ODOR OF SMOKE WAS EVIDENT IN THE COCKPIT AT FL240 WHILE 40 MI S OF BDL, CT.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE, A FAINT ODOR OF SMOKE WAS DETECTED ON THE FLT DECK. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ECAM DISPLAYED A 'VENT EXTINGUISHER FAULT.' UPON COMPLETING ECAM ACTIONS, ODOR BECAME WORSE. WE ELECTED TO DIVERT THE ACFT TO BDL. FO WAS REQUESTED TO FLY THE ACFT WHILE I COORDINATED THE DIVERSION AND RAN SMOKE CHKLISTS. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH ATC FOR PRIORITY HANDLING TO THE ARPT. THE FLT ATTENDANTS, PAX, AND OPS WERE NOTIFIED OF OUR DIVERSION. ATC WAS NOTIFIED OF OUR INTENTION TO EXCEED 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT, AND THEY GAVE US SPD AT OUR DISCRETION. UPON COMPLETION OF THE QRH SMOKE CHKLIST, THE ODOR SEEMED TO LESSEN SOMEWHAT. CFR WAS REQUESTED TO THE RWY WITH APCH CTL. A VISUAL APCH TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE ON RWY 24 AT BDL. AS THE SIT SEEMED TO BE STABILIZED, I ELECTED TO TAXI CLR OF THE RWY AND PROCEED TO THE GATE WITH FIRE ESCORT. PAX WERE DEPLANED ONTO THE JETWAY. MAINT FOUND THE AVIONICS BAY EXTRACTION FAN MOTOR HAD SEIZED AND OVERHEATED.

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.