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An MD83 in cruise at FL270 declared an emergency and diverted due to strong electrical odor from mid cabin.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 637289 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200411 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zzz.artcc |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 27000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-83 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 18r |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 637289 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event other other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3 |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Upon reaching cruise altitude, a smell was noticed by first officer immediately followed by a call from flight attendants confirming an increasingly strong electrical odor coming from mid cabin. Assuming possible electrical fire, we declared an emergency and headed to ZZZ. Both cockpit members donned oxygen masks and proceeded towards ZZZ. Upon further communications with flight attendants, we determined that the smell was not getting worse, but we continued to land south if possible fire still a potential. A normal landing to ILS runway 18R was set up and completed. Emergency equipment was on standby as a precaution. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the cause of the electrical odor from the mid cabin was reported by maintenance to have been a cabin lighting malfunction. No details were given on the failed component and its function. The reporter said more information from maintenance would be welcome as to exactly what caused the electrical odor.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD83 IN CRUISE AT FL270 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO STRONG ELECTRICAL ODOR FROM MID CABIN.
Narrative: UPON REACHING CRUISE ALT, A SMELL WAS NOTICED BY FO IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A CALL FROM FLT ATTENDANTS CONFIRMING AN INCREASINGLY STRONG ELECTRICAL ODOR COMING FROM MID CABIN. ASSUMING POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FIRE, WE DECLARED AN EMER AND HEADED TO ZZZ. BOTH COCKPIT MEMBERS DONNED OXYGEN MASKS AND PROCEEDED TOWARDS ZZZ. UPON FURTHER COMS WITH FLT ATTENDANTS, WE DETERMINED THAT THE SMELL WAS NOT GETTING WORSE, BUT WE CONTINUED TO LAND S IF POSSIBLE FIRE STILL A POTENTIAL. A NORMAL LNDG TO ILS RWY 18R WAS SET UP AND COMPLETED. EMER EQUIP WAS ON STANDBY AS A PRECAUTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAUSE OF THE ELECTRICAL ODOR FROM THE MID CABIN WAS RPTED BY MAINT TO HAVE BEEN A CABIN LIGHTING MALFUNCTION. NO DETAILS WERE GIVEN ON THE FAILED COMPONENT AND ITS FUNCTION. THE RPTR SAID MORE INFO FROM MAINT WOULD BE WELCOME AS TO EXACTLY WHAT CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL ODOR.
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.