A B757 passenger reports area of the left aft overwing exit warm with a burning smell. The power por...

Attributes
ACN	783266
Time
Date	200803
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 10000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
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 : 7 flight attendant time total : 34 flight attendant time type : 1
ASRS Report	783266
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Passenger rang call button shortly after we had passed through 10000 ft; seatbelt sign still on. She was sitting next to the aft overwing exit; left side of aircraft. She said she intermittently smelled a burning rubber odor and the outside edge of the exit felt warm to the touch. I did not smell the odor; but the area was warm to the touch. I then felt the remaining 3 exits; all of which were not warm. I called the captain and notified him of the situation. He instructed me to turn off the power port switch and wanted the other flight attendants to access the window exits. Flight attendant #1 said she did smell the burning odor and the area felt warm. The other flight attendant did not smell anything unusual. I kept the captain informed at all times of any changes. He made the decision to go back to ZZZ. At this time after returning to the area; the exit was getting warmer and covering a larger area; but no smell. I informed the captain again. Shortly after; we landed at ZZZ without incident. At all times during our flight; our crew was mentally preparing for a possible fire; therefore; reviewing our extinguisher locations and procedures for firefighting. All passenger remained calm and very understanding.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 PAX REPORTS AREA OF THE LEFT AFT OVERWING EXIT WARM WITH A BURNING SMELL. THE POWER PORTS WERE TURNED OFF AND ACFT RETURN TO LAND AS HEAT CONTINUED.

Narrative: PAX RANG CALL BUTTON SHORTLY AFTER WE HAD PASSED THROUGH 10000 FT; SEATBELT SIGN STILL ON. SHE WAS SITTING NEXT TO THE AFT OVERWING EXIT; L SIDE OF ACFT. SHE SAID SHE INTERMITTENTLY SMELLED A BURNING RUBBER ODOR AND THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE EXIT FELT WARM TO THE TOUCH. I DID NOT SMELL THE ODOR; BUT THE AREA WAS WARM TO THE TOUCH. I THEN FELT THE REMAINING 3 EXITS; ALL OF WHICH WERE NOT WARM. I CALLED THE CAPT AND NOTIFIED HIM OF THE SITUATION. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN OFF THE PWR PORT SWITCH AND WANTED THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS TO ACCESS THE WINDOW EXITS. FLT ATTENDANT #1 SAID SHE DID SMELL THE BURNING ODOR AND THE AREA FELT WARM. THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANT DID NOT SMELL ANYTHING UNUSUAL. I KEPT THE CAPT INFORMED AT ALL TIMES OF ANY CHANGES. HE MADE THE DECISION TO GO BACK TO ZZZ. AT THIS TIME AFTER RETURNING TO THE AREA; THE EXIT WAS GETTING WARMER AND COVERING A LARGER AREA; BUT NO SMELL. I INFORMED THE CAPT AGAIN. SHORTLY AFTER; WE LANDED AT ZZZ WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT ALL TIMES DURING OUR FLT; OUR CREW WAS MENTALLY PREPARING FOR A POSSIBLE FIRE; THEREFORE; REVIEWING OUR EXTINGUISHER LOCATIONS AND PROCS FOR FIREFIGHTING. ALL PAX REMAINED CALM AND VERY UNDERSTANDING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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 B757 passenger reports area of the left aft overwing exit warm with a burning smell. The power ports were turned off and aircraft return to land as heat continued.