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A B737-500 on takeoff climb at 2500 ft declared an emergency and diverted due to smoke in cockpit and cabin, caused by a failed APU seal.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 590427 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200308 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-500 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 162 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 590427 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 590431 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : apu oil seals other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
During climb out of ZZZ SID passing approximately 2500 ft, we observed a large volume of oily smelling smoke entering the cockpit. At the same time the flight attendants notified us that the cabin was filling with smoke. We declared an emergency and returned to land at ZZZ on runway 1L. There was no audible nor warning light, associated with fire present. The volume of smoke and the rapidity at which it entered the aircraft caused us concern. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the APU was supplying air for the operating air conditioning pack during the takeoff and climb. The reporter said the rapid spread of the smoke and intensity was of great concern to the cabin and cockpit crew. The reporter stated maintenance found the cause of the smoke was a failed oil seal in the APU allowing oil to enter and mix with the pneumatic air.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-500 ON TKOF CLB AT 2500 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO SMOKE IN COCKPIT AND CABIN, CAUSED BY A FAILED APU SEAL.
Narrative: DURING CLBOUT OF ZZZ SID PASSING APPROX 2500 FT, WE OBSERVED A LARGE VOLUME OF OILY SMELLING SMOKE ENTERING THE COCKPIT. AT THE SAME TIME THE FLT ATTENDANTS NOTIFIED US THAT THE CABIN WAS FILLING WITH SMOKE. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO LAND AT ZZZ ON RWY 1L. THERE WAS NO AUDIBLE NOR WARNING LIGHT, ASSOCIATED WITH FIRE PRESENT. THE VOLUME OF SMOKE AND THE RAPIDITY AT WHICH IT ENTERED THE ACFT CAUSED US CONCERN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE APU WAS SUPPLYING AIR FOR THE OPERATING AIR CONDITIONING PACK DURING THE TKOF AND CLB. THE RPTR SAID THE RAPID SPREAD OF THE SMOKE AND INTENSITY WAS OF GREAT CONCERN TO THE CABIN AND COCKPIT CREW. THE RPTR STATED MAINT FOUND THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE WAS A FAILED OIL SEAL IN THE APU ALLOWING OIL TO ENTER AND MIX WITH THE PNEUMATIC AIR.
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.