A DC8 crew smelled an electrical smell immediately after takeoff. An emergency was declared with a r...

Attributes
ACN	804228
Time
Date	200810
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	McDonnell Douglas Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	805228
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	804231
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After takeoff from ZZZ at about 5000 ft; a strong burning odor; electrical in nature; was noticed on the flight deck. No smoke was present. Oxygen masks were donned and aircraft returned to ZZZ. Upon landing and return to gateway; ZZZ airport fire supervisor noticed burning smell also when smoke curtain pulled back (in main cargo area). Emergency was declared. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that the fluorescent light bulbs in that DC8 cockpit had just been changed and maintenance theorized that the light ballast may have overheated. The intense electrical smell lasted for about 30 seconds before stabilizing. There was never any smoke. The reporter also stated that rain had been intense that day and when the crew got to the aircraft there was standing water in the flight station that had leaked in around the windows. The reporter feels some water could have gotten back in the electrical circuits although there was no indication of any electrical systems problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC8 CREW SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL SMELL IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH A RETURN TO LAND.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM ZZZ AT ABOUT 5000 FT; A STRONG BURNING ODOR; ELECTRICAL IN NATURE; WAS NOTICED ON THE FLT DECK. NO SMOKE WAS PRESENT. OXYGEN MASKS WERE DONNED AND ACFT RETURNED TO ZZZ. UPON LNDG AND RETURN TO GATEWAY; ZZZ ARPT FIRE SUPVR NOTICED BURNING SMELL ALSO WHEN SMOKE CURTAIN PULLED BACK (IN MAIN CARGO AREA). EMER WAS DECLARED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT THE FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS IN THAT DC8 COCKPIT HAD JUST BEEN CHANGED AND MAINTENANCE THEORIZED THAT THE LIGHT BALLAST MAY HAVE OVERHEATED. THE INTENSE ELECTRICAL SMELL LASTED FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE STABILIZING. THERE WAS NEVER ANY SMOKE. THE REPORTER ALSO STATED THAT RAIN HAD BEEN INTENSE THAT DAY AND WHEN THE CREW GOT TO THE AIRCRAFT THERE WAS STANDING WATER IN THE FLT STATION THAT HAD LEAKED IN AROUND THE WINDOWS. THE REPORTER FEELS SOME WATER COULD HAVE GOTTEN BACK IN THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS PROBLEMS.

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 DC8 crew smelled an electrical smell immediately after takeoff. An emergency was declared with a return to land.