Narrative:

On takeoff roll in atl a strong pungent smell was noticed in the cockpit and cabin -- particularly the aft part of cabin and galley area in front. The cockpit was notified just after liftoff. The smoke/smell lasted for approximately 5 mins and then dissipated. In the meantime we declared an emergency and returned for landing back in atl. Aircraft was stopped on taxiway since smoke had completely dissipated. Engines were shut down and all passenger were instructed to remain in their seats. The flight attendants had been instructed to be ready for an emergency evacuate/evacuation only if necessary. While communicating with ground and fire department (approximately 2 mins after stopping) an electrical smoke was noted in the cockpit. The fire department was instructed to open the aft airstairs and a precautionary evacuate/evacuation was executed through the aft airstairs. The flight attendant remained ready to perform an emergency evacuate/evacuation -- but that was unnecessary. All passenger and crew exited with no injury or further problems. I feel the flight attendants performed in an exemplary manner in maintaining a constant communication with the flight crew and as expeditiously as time permitted keeping passenger informed to maintain control and prevent a panic situation. The first officer continued to fly the aircraft (autoplt inoperative) and communication with ATC for a quick return. This allowed me, as captain, to coordination and communication to ATC flight attendants and the first officer. This really worked great. The ground emergency. Team (fire department) responded very quickly and were very helpful. We did have a little trouble communications directly with them. This delay in communication caused some delay in lowering the aft airstairs. I feel the ground team needs to be able to plug into the aircraft interphone system to talk directly with the crew. In other words let's be ready for all levels of evacuate/evacuation or emergency (from a controled evacuate/evacuation to an emergency evacuate/evacuation).

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMOKE IN THE CABIN AND COCKPIT DURING TKOF ROLL CAUSED THE FLC TO DECLARE AN EMER AND RETURN TO LAND.

Narrative: ON TKOF ROLL IN ATL A STRONG PUNGENT SMELL WAS NOTICED IN THE COCKPIT AND CABIN -- PARTICULARLY THE AFT PART OF CABIN AND GALLEY AREA IN FRONT. THE COCKPIT WAS NOTIFIED JUST AFTER LIFTOFF. THE SMOKE/SMELL LASTED FOR APPROX 5 MINS AND THEN DISSIPATED. IN THE MEANTIME WE DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED FOR LNDG BACK IN ATL. ACFT WAS STOPPED ON TXWY SINCE SMOKE HAD COMPLETELY DISSIPATED. ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN AND ALL PAX WERE INSTRUCTED TO REMAIN IN THEIR SEATS. THE FLT ATTENDANTS HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO BE READY FOR AN EMER EVAC ONLY IF NECESSARY. WHILE COMMUNICATING WITH GND AND FIRE DEPT (APPROX 2 MINS AFTER STOPPING) AN ELECTRICAL SMOKE WAS NOTED IN THE COCKPIT. THE FIRE DEPT WAS INSTRUCTED TO OPEN THE AFT AIRSTAIRS AND A PRECAUTIONARY EVAC WAS EXECUTED THROUGH THE AFT AIRSTAIRS. THE FLT ATTENDANT REMAINED READY TO PERFORM AN EMER EVAC -- BUT THAT WAS UNNECESSARY. ALL PAX AND CREW EXITED WITH NO INJURY OR FURTHER PROBS. I FEEL THE FLT ATTENDANTS PERFORMED IN AN EXEMPLARY MANNER IN MAINTAINING A CONSTANT COM WITH THE FLC AND AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS TIME PERMITTED KEEPING PAX INFORMED TO MAINTAIN CTL AND PREVENT A PANIC SIT. THE FO CONTINUED TO FLY THE ACFT (AUTOPLT INOP) AND COM WITH ATC FOR A QUICK RETURN. THIS ALLOWED ME, AS CAPT, TO COORD AND COM TO ATC FLT ATTENDANTS AND THE FO. THIS REALLY WORKED GREAT. THE GND EMER. TEAM (FIRE DEPT) RESPONDED VERY QUICKLY AND WERE VERY HELPFUL. WE DID HAVE A LITTLE TROUBLE COMS DIRECTLY WITH THEM. THIS DELAY IN COM CAUSED SOME DELAY IN LOWERING THE AFT AIRSTAIRS. I FEEL THE GND TEAM NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO PLUG INTO THE ACFT INTERPHONE SYS TO TALK DIRECTLY WITH THE CREW. IN OTHER WORDS LET'S BE READY FOR ALL LEVELS OF EVAC OR EMER (FROM A CTLED EVAC TO AN EMER EVAC).

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.