Narrative:

Level at FL310 both pilots smelled electrical smoke. Captain (flying) donned oxygen mask while first officer checked cabin for source. Smoke noted flowing from overhead panel near cargo smoke test panel. Initiated abnormal procedures (first officer) while captain notified ATC of our need to dump fuel (100000 pounds) and return to ewr. ATC gave us a left turn to 180 degrees and descent to FL180. We delayed descent to complete abnormal procedures and ATC had to remind us to start descent 'immediately' our delayed descent and/or 180 degrees back to ewr may have created an ATC conflict no emergency declared, return and landing were uneventful. Supplemental information from acn 284006: only 2 disturbing points: 1) our checklist never had us isolate and pull appropriate circuit breaker's. 2) because of some sort of simulator programming 'problem,' crews at our airline do not get to do an emergency fire situation during training. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot counseled on using the word 'emergency' as proper when abnormal sits arise on a 2 man crew aircraft. How it can help during domestic and international operations. Pilot was also informed of how to request and receive proper emergency and abnormal training during his annual check rides. He is already working with his air carrier's training department on this. Pilot was very pleased with information given to him and the fact that ASRS was interested in his report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ELECTRICAL FIRE.

Narrative: LEVEL AT FL310 BOTH PLTS SMELLED ELECTRICAL SMOKE. CAPT (FLYING) DONNED OXYGEN MASK WHILE FO CHKED CABIN FOR SOURCE. SMOKE NOTED FLOWING FROM OVERHEAD PANEL NEAR CARGO SMOKE TEST PANEL. INITIATED ABNORMAL PROCS (FO) WHILE CAPT NOTIFIED ATC OF OUR NEED TO DUMP FUEL (100000 LBS) AND RETURN TO EWR. ATC GAVE US A L TURN TO 180 DEGS AND DSCNT TO FL180. WE DELAYED DSCNT TO COMPLETE ABNORMAL PROCS AND ATC HAD TO REMIND US TO START DSCNT 'IMMEDIATELY' OUR DELAYED DSCNT AND/OR 180 DEGS BACK TO EWR MAY HAVE CREATED AN ATC CONFLICT NO EMER DECLARED, RETURN AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 284006: ONLY 2 DISTURBING POINTS: 1) OUR CHKLIST NEVER HAD US ISOLATE AND PULL APPROPRIATE CB'S. 2) BECAUSE OF SOME SORT OF SIMULATOR PROGRAMMING 'PROB,' CREWS AT OUR AIRLINE DO NOT GET TO DO AN EMER FIRE SIT DURING TRAINING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT COUNSELED ON USING THE WORD 'EMER' AS PROPER WHEN ABNORMAL SITS ARISE ON A 2 MAN CREW ACFT. HOW IT CAN HELP DURING DOMESTIC AND INTL OPS. PLT WAS ALSO INFORMED OF HOW TO REQUEST AND RECEIVE PROPER EMER AND ABNORMAL TRAINING DURING HIS ANNUAL CHK RIDES. HE IS ALREADY WORKING WITH HIS ACR'S TRAINING DEPT ON THIS. PLT WAS VERY PLEASED WITH INFO GIVEN TO HIM AND THE FACT THAT ASRS WAS INTERESTED IN HIS RPT.

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.