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B737-400 flight crew was notified of smoke in aft cabin. Flight crew declared emergency; but it was later discovered that the likely source of the odor was a match.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 760032 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200710 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 29000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 760032 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight attendant : on duty |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other other : 2 |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Cabin Crew Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Cabin Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
On descent; flight attendant notified me (first officer) by interphone that there was smoke in aft cabin; source unknown. Emergency was declared and normal landing made at ZZZ with equipment standing by. A follow-up call by me to aft flight attendant to check status revealed that there was no smoke or fire; but that it smelled as if someone had struck a match; and it was her opinion that someone; unknown; had simply struck a match and the smoke and smell came from it; again source unknown. Captain conferred with maintenance to tell them the same. A later call to captain was made to inquire on no write-up on aircraft. He informed them that it must have been simply a match struck by unknown passenger; and that there was no problem with aircraft. I feel captain acted professionally and properly in his actions; and produced a safe outcome for passenger and crew.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-400 FLT CREW WAS NOTIFIED OF SMOKE IN AFT CABIN. FLT CREW DECLARED EMER; BUT IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE LIKELY SOURCE OF THE ODOR WAS A MATCH.
Narrative: ON DSCNT; FLT ATTENDANT NOTIFIED ME (FO) BY INTERPHONE THAT THERE WAS SMOKE IN AFT CABIN; SOURCE UNKNOWN. EMER WAS DECLARED AND NORMAL LNDG MADE AT ZZZ WITH EQUIP STANDING BY. A FOLLOW-UP CALL BY ME TO AFT FLT ATTENDANT TO CHK STATUS REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO SMOKE OR FIRE; BUT THAT IT SMELLED AS IF SOMEONE HAD STRUCK A MATCH; AND IT WAS HER OPINION THAT SOMEONE; UNKNOWN; HAD SIMPLY STRUCK A MATCH AND THE SMOKE AND SMELL CAME FROM IT; AGAIN SOURCE UNKNOWN. CAPT CONFERRED WITH MAINT TO TELL THEM THE SAME. A LATER CALL TO CAPT WAS MADE TO INQUIRE ON NO WRITE-UP ON ACFT. HE INFORMED THEM THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN SIMPLY A MATCH STRUCK BY UNKNOWN PAX; AND THAT THERE WAS NO PROB WITH ACFT. I FEEL CAPT ACTED PROFESSIONALLY AND PROPERLY IN HIS ACTIONS; AND PRODUCED A SAFE OUTCOME FOR PAX AND CREW.
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.