Narrative:

En route to iad, both the first officer and I noticed an electrical smell, but no smoke. We checked with our flight attendant and she also noticed the smell near the cockpit door. We chose to do a precautionary landing at the nearest suitable airport, which was tol. During the descent, the smell became intermittent, but appropriate emergency checklists were still performed. ATC was informed that we were doing a precautionary landing although tol ATC themselves called out crash fire rescue equipment. Both myself and the flight attendant briefed the passenger on the situation well prior to landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ERJ-145 FLT CREW LANDS SHORT OF DEST WHEN DETECTING A BURNING ELECTRICAL SMELL, PLANNING A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT TOL, OH.

Narrative: ENRTE TO IAD, BOTH THE FO AND I NOTICED AN ELECTRICAL SMELL, BUT NO SMOKE. WE CHKED WITH OUR FLT ATTENDANT AND SHE ALSO NOTICED THE SMELL NEAR THE COCKPIT DOOR. WE CHOSE TO DO A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT, WHICH WAS TOL. DURING THE DSCNT, THE SMELL BECAME INTERMITTENT, BUT APPROPRIATE EMER CHKLISTS WERE STILL PERFORMED. ATC WAS INFORMED THAT WE WERE DOING A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG ALTHOUGH TOL ATC THEMSELVES CALLED OUT CFR. BOTH MYSELF AND THE FLT ATTENDANT BRIEFED THE PAX ON THE SIT WELL PRIOR TO LNDG.

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.