Smoke in cockpit and cabin mandates a return and land emergency situation.

Attributes
ACN	205802
Time
Date	199203
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff other
Route In Use	approach : circling
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	205802
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On takeoff runway 18R, mem, tn, smoke of unknown origin was noted in the cockpit and simultaneously reported from aft jumpseat. Aircraft immediately began an emergency return to land runway 27, mem, requesting fire truck assistance. Interphone contact was maintained with the flight attendant who reported that inspection could not reveal the source or type of smoke in aft cabin, called, or lavatories. Smoke was not profuse and later stabilized. Emergency was terminated after clearing the runway and passengers deplaned at the gate. Constant interphone communication between cabin and cockpit crew promoted the quick and orderly handling of an uncomfortable situation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The post flight inspection showed a problem with the aircraft's air cycle machine air conditioning system. Reporter stated that the water separator bag had a malfunction causing a migration of moisture that created the smoke. The smoke was from an oil base but created by the surge of moisture. 2 yrs ago the air carrier had redone their checklists and 2 items that were stressed for this type situation were maintaining intercom communication and a rapid return and land maneuver. This flight crew did that.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMOKE IN COCKPIT AND CABIN MANDATES A RETURN AND LAND EMER SITUATION.

Narrative: ON TKOF RWY 18R, MEM, TN, SMOKE OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN WAS NOTED IN THE COCKPIT AND SIMULTANEOUSLY RPTED FROM AFT JUMPSEAT. ACFT IMMEDIATELY BEGAN AN EMER RETURN TO LAND RWY 27, MEM, REQUESTING FIRE TRUCK ASSISTANCE. INTERPHONE CONTACT WAS MAINTAINED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT WHO RPTED THAT INSPECTION COULD NOT REVEAL THE SOURCE OR TYPE OF SMOKE IN AFT CABIN, CALLED, OR LAVATORIES. SMOKE WAS NOT PROFUSE AND LATER STABILIZED. EMER WAS TERMINATED AFTER CLRING THE RWY AND PAXS DEPLANED AT THE GATE. CONSTANT INTERPHONE COM BTWN CABIN AND COCKPIT CREW PROMOTED THE QUICK AND ORDERLY HANDLING OF AN UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE POST FLT INSPECTION SHOWED A PROBLEM WITH THE ACFT'S AIR CYCLE MACHINE AIR CONDITIONING SYS. RPTR STATED THAT THE WATER SEPARATOR BAG HAD A MALFUNCTION CAUSING A MIGRATION OF MOISTURE THAT CREATED THE SMOKE. THE SMOKE WAS FROM AN OIL BASE BUT CREATED BY THE SURGE OF MOISTURE. 2 YRS AGO THE ACR HAD REDONE THEIR CHKLISTS AND 2 ITEMS THAT WERE STRESSED FOR THIS TYPE SITUATION WERE MAINTAINING INTERCOM COM AND A RAPID RETURN AND LAND MANEUVER. THIS FLC DID THAT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.