Personal video unit aboard B777 overheats. Flight diverts.

Attributes
ACN	755311
Time
Date	200709
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 4
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 28 flight attendant time total : 28 flight attendant time type : 90
ASRS Report	755311
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Aircraft Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Electrical smell was noticed by crew and passenger in and around aft of coach; approximately row 36. I looked for laptops; ipods; other battery operated items that may be the cause -- found none. Notified captain smell did not go away. Investigated farther and called captain again. Passenger jumped up; grabbed child and yelled 'fire.' I got extinguisher out from 4R; gave it to flight attendant. She went forward. I called #1 flight attendant and cockpit. Smoke was noted; hot personal video unit -- no fire. We moved passenger; monitored area; and landed at a close airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PERSONAL VIDEO UNIT ABOARD B777 OVERHEATS. FLT DIVERTS.

Narrative: ELECTRICAL SMELL WAS NOTICED BY CREW AND PAX IN AND AROUND AFT OF COACH; APPROX ROW 36. I LOOKED FOR LAPTOPS; IPODS; OTHER BATTERY OPERATED ITEMS THAT MAY BE THE CAUSE -- FOUND NONE. NOTIFIED CAPT SMELL DID NOT GO AWAY. INVESTIGATED FARTHER AND CALLED CAPT AGAIN. PAX JUMPED UP; GRABBED CHILD AND YELLED 'FIRE.' I GOT EXTINGUISHER OUT FROM 4R; GAVE IT TO FLT ATTENDANT. SHE WENT FORWARD. I CALLED #1 FLT ATTENDANT AND COCKPIT. SMOKE WAS NOTED; HOT PERSONAL VIDEO UNIT -- NO FIRE. WE MOVED PAX; MONITORED AREA; AND LANDED AT A CLOSE ARPT.

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.