A flight attendant on a crj-700 noticed a suspicious electrical odor. The flight crew declared an em...

Attributes
ACN	701426
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	701426
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

About 20 mins after takeoff; the flight attendant called and stated; 'it smells like something is burning.' they advised me that the passenger also smelled the odor. I asked the first officer if he smelled anything and he said no. I smelled an odor but could not make it out. Then the flight attendants stated the odor was gone. I told them if it came back to call me. About 15 mins later; they called back and stated the odor was back and more intense. They did not see any smoke. My first officer and I picked up on the smokey odor also. It was a strong odor and electrical in nature. ZZZ was off the nose and to the left. We put it in the FMS and the time was 12 mins away. We advised ATC of our situation and diverted to ZZZ. I ran the QRH checklist for electrical smoke or fire. After complying with the checklist; we declared an emergency. We landed 3600 pounds overweight. The odor was still there according to the flight attendants during the descent; approach; and landing. I tried 3 times to contact the company on radio to no avail. We taxied to the gate. The company was notified of the situation. A maintenance team was sent to ZZZ. After going over the aircraft for about 3 hours they could not duplicate the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLT ATTENDANT ON A CRJ-700 NOTICED A SUSPICIOUS ELECTRICAL ODOR. THE FLT CREW DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO ZZZ.

Narrative: ABOUT 20 MINS AFTER TKOF; THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND STATED; 'IT SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING.' THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE PAX ALSO SMELLED THE ODOR. I ASKED THE FO IF HE SMELLED ANYTHING AND HE SAID NO. I SMELLED AN ODOR BUT COULD NOT MAKE IT OUT. THEN THE FLT ATTENDANTS STATED THE ODOR WAS GONE. I TOLD THEM IF IT CAME BACK TO CALL ME. ABOUT 15 MINS LATER; THEY CALLED BACK AND STATED THE ODOR WAS BACK AND MORE INTENSE. THEY DID NOT SEE ANY SMOKE. MY FO AND I PICKED UP ON THE SMOKEY ODOR ALSO. IT WAS A STRONG ODOR AND ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. ZZZ WAS OFF THE NOSE AND TO THE L. WE PUT IT IN THE FMS AND THE TIME WAS 12 MINS AWAY. WE ADVISED ATC OF OUR SIT AND DIVERTED TO ZZZ. I RAN THE QRH CHKLIST FOR ELECTRICAL SMOKE OR FIRE. AFTER COMPLYING WITH THE CHKLIST; WE DECLARED AN EMER. WE LANDED 3600 LBS OVERWT. THE ODOR WAS STILL THERE ACCORDING TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS DURING THE DSCNT; APCH; AND LNDG. I TRIED 3 TIMES TO CONTACT THE COMPANY ON RADIO TO NO AVAIL. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. THE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE SIT. A MAINT TEAM WAS SENT TO ZZZ. AFTER GOING OVER THE ACFT FOR ABOUT 3 HRS THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROB.

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.

A flight attendant on a crj-700 noticed a suspicious electrical odor. The flight crew declared an emergency and diverted to ZZZ.