Emb 145 cockpit filled with smoke shortly after takeoff. Flight crew immediately returned to departu...

Attributes
ACN	766895
Time
Date	200712
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	766895
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	766896
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Climbing through 600 ft a pronounced amount of haze appeared in the cockpit. This was verified in the cabin by the flight attendant. We immediately advised ATC of a significant amount of haze in the cockpit; and requested a return to ZZZ immediately. I continued flying and communicating with ATC while the first officer followed the epc. ATC cleared us for the visual to any runway; we returned and landed overweight as documented in the aml. The fire/rescue trucks met the aircraft and noted no external abnormalities; followed us to the gate and the fire crew did an interior inspection and found no hot spots. To our knowledge; we did not violate any far's; company policy or aircraft separation during this event. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the smoke in the EMB145 was intense; and smoke goggles and oxygen masks were deployed. Maintenance inspection later revealed that an engine seal had failed; allowing oil to be burned and circulated throughout the cabin.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB 145 COCKPIT FILLED WITH SMOKE SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. FLT CREW IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH 600 FT A PRONOUNCED AMOUNT OF HAZE APPEARED IN THE COCKPIT. THIS WAS VERIFIED IN THE CABIN BY THE FLT ATTENDANT. WE IMMEDIATELY ADVISED ATC OF A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF HAZE IN THE COCKPIT; AND REQUESTED A RETURN TO ZZZ IMMEDIATELY. I CONTINUED FLYING AND COMMUNICATING WITH ATC WHILE THE FO FOLLOWED THE EPC. ATC CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL TO ANY RWY; WE RETURNED AND LANDED OVERWT AS DOCUMENTED IN THE AML. THE FIRE/RESCUE TRUCKS MET THE ACFT AND NOTED NO EXTERNAL ABNORMALITIES; FOLLOWED US TO THE GATE AND THE FIRE CREW DID AN INTERIOR INSPECTION AND FOUND NO HOT SPOTS. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE; WE DID NOT VIOLATE ANY FAR'S; COMPANY POLICY OR ACFT SEPARATION DURING THIS EVENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT THE SMOKE IN THE EMB145 WAS INTENSE; AND SMOKE GOGGLES AND OXYGEN MASKS WERE DEPLOYED. MAINT INSPECTION LATER REVEALED THAT AN ENG SEAL HAD FAILED; ALLOWING OIL TO BE BURNED AND CIRCULATED THROUGHOUT THE CABIN.

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.

Emb 145 cockpit filled with smoke shortly after takeoff. Flight crew immediately returned to departure airport.