B737-300 developed fumes in the cabin and returned to departure airport.

Attributes
ACN	741015
Time
Date	200706
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	741015
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On climb out out of hou at approximately FL200; we were notified by the a flight attendant of an odor that smelled like 'glue' or 'plastic.' we told them to get back to us if it got worse. That way the captain could make the decision to return; without flying too far away from the field. The captain told me he could not smell anything out of the ordinary. I was able to get an occasional smell of the odor. Fortunately; we had a deadheading company captain in the back who explained that he heard a 'popping' sound coming from the vents/ducting; in addition to smelling the odor. The decision was made to return to hou and the captain landed the aircraft without further incident. We switched aircraft and continued the rest of the day. We were very fortunate to have a deadheading pilot in the cabin to provide information. This allowed the flying captain to make the informed decision early in the flight rather than continue with a malfunctioning aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 DEVELOPED FUMES IN THE CABIN AND RETURNED TO DEPARTURE ARPT.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OUT OF HOU AT APPROX FL200; WE WERE NOTIFIED BY THE A FLT ATTENDANT OF AN ODOR THAT SMELLED LIKE 'GLUE' OR 'PLASTIC.' WE TOLD THEM TO GET BACK TO US IF IT GOT WORSE. THAT WAY THE CAPT COULD MAKE THE DECISION TO RETURN; WITHOUT FLYING TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE FIELD. THE CAPT TOLD ME HE COULD NOT SMELL ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I WAS ABLE TO GET AN OCCASIONAL SMELL OF THE ODOR. FORTUNATELY; WE HAD A DEADHEADING COMPANY CAPT IN THE BACK WHO EXPLAINED THAT HE HEARD A 'POPPING' SOUND COMING FROM THE VENTS/DUCTING; IN ADDITION TO SMELLING THE ODOR. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO HOU AND THE CAPT LANDED THE ACFT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. WE SWITCHED ACFT AND CONTINUED THE REST OF THE DAY. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A DEADHEADING PLT IN THE CABIN TO PROVIDE INFO. THIS ALLOWED THE FLYING CAPT TO MAKE THE INFORMED DECISION EARLY IN THE FLT RATHER THAN CONTINUE WITH A MALFUNCTIONING ACFT.

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.