Narrative:

During climb on departure at approximately 11000 ft MSL the purser called the cockpit from the aft galley indicating to the relief first officer that there was strong odor/smoke in the area. As the PF; I assumed responsibility for ATC contact while directing the PNF to accomplish the qrc for galley smoke/fire. At approximately 3-4 mins into the event; the relief first officer stated that conditions in the aft galley were worsening and the cabin crew were 'very excited.' at this point; I declared an emergency with ATC and requested an immediate return to the airport for landing. A turn was executed to place the aircraft on an extended downwind leg in clean confign; 240 KIAS; 11000 ft MSL. During this activity; dispatch and maintenance were notified. At approximately 8 mins into the event; the purser informed us that he had positively idented the source of smoke/odors as a galley cart electrical pigtail connector. Further; he stated that conditions were rapidly improving. Upon extensive consultation with maintenance; dispatch; the purser and my cockpit crew; it was determined that the source of the problem was idented; understood and corrected. A joint decision was made that the flight could safely proceed to destination which it did without further incident. A maintenance entry was made in the log and personnel were debriefed at destination. CRM between the cabin and cockpit were instrumental and highly effective throughout.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-300 FLT CREW HAS SMOKE AND FUMES IN AFT GALLEY DURING DEP; EMER DECLARED. SOURCE OF SMOKE AND FUMES IDENTED AND CONTINUED FLT CONTINUES TO DEST.

Narrative: DURING CLB ON DEP AT APPROX 11000 FT MSL THE PURSER CALLED THE COCKPIT FROM THE AFT GALLEY INDICATING TO THE RELIEF FO THAT THERE WAS STRONG ODOR/SMOKE IN THE AREA. AS THE PF; I ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR ATC CONTACT WHILE DIRECTING THE PNF TO ACCOMPLISH THE QRC FOR GALLEY SMOKE/FIRE. AT APPROX 3-4 MINS INTO THE EVENT; THE RELIEF FO STATED THAT CONDITIONS IN THE AFT GALLEY WERE WORSENING AND THE CABIN CREW WERE 'VERY EXCITED.' AT THIS POINT; I DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO THE ARPT FOR LNDG. A TURN WAS EXECUTED TO PLACE THE ACFT ON AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND LEG IN CLEAN CONFIGN; 240 KIAS; 11000 FT MSL. DURING THIS ACTIVITY; DISPATCH AND MAINT WERE NOTIFIED. AT APPROX 8 MINS INTO THE EVENT; THE PURSER INFORMED US THAT HE HAD POSITIVELY IDENTED THE SOURCE OF SMOKE/ODORS AS A GALLEY CART ELECTRICAL PIGTAIL CONNECTOR. FURTHER; HE STATED THAT CONDITIONS WERE RAPIDLY IMPROVING. UPON EXTENSIVE CONSULTATION WITH MAINT; DISPATCH; THE PURSER AND MY COCKPIT CREW; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SOURCE OF THE PROB WAS IDENTED; UNDERSTOOD AND CORRECTED. A JOINT DECISION WAS MADE THAT THE FLT COULD SAFELY PROCEED TO DEST WHICH IT DID WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. A MAINT ENTRY WAS MADE IN THE LOG AND PERSONNEL WERE DEBRIEFED AT DEST. CRM BTWN THE CABIN AND COCKPIT WERE INSTRUMENTAL AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE THROUGHOUT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.