Flight crew perceives a galley fire.

Attributes
ACN	300220
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tower : orf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	300220
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We were in level flight when we noticed a large amount of smoke that appeared to be coming from the overhead panel. The smoke had a hint of electrical smell and no food smell. The captain and I donned our oxygen masks and declared an emergency. ATC cleared us to descend, we did so and also turned towards phl. While being cleared by ATC the first class flight attendant was trying to reach us via the interphone. About a min or 2 had passed when I made contact with the flight attendant, she informed me that she had a galley fire and it was out. We told ATC what had happened and they reclred us to FL350 for our flight to iah. ATC informed us that no paperwork was necessary for the emergency and that they would take care of it on their end. On further investigation I discovered that 1 of the ovens in the forward galley was missing the heat-shield. The flight attendant did not realize the danger and proceeded to use this oven which resulted in the oven fire. The flight attendant also informed me that she sees ovens without heat shields all the time. I asked other flight attendant's and they said the same thing. The captain notified maintenance of this dangerous situation. On further inspection by maintenance, they found 1 of the aft galley ovens with a missing heat shield.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC PERCEIVES A GALLEY FIRE.

Narrative: WE WERE IN LEVEL FLT WHEN WE NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE THAT APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE OVERHEAD PANEL. THE SMOKE HAD A HINT OF ELECTRICAL SMELL AND NO FOOD SMELL. THE CAPT AND I DONNED OUR OXYGEN MASKS AND DECLARED AN EMER. ATC CLRED US TO DSND, WE DID SO AND ALSO TURNED TOWARDS PHL. WHILE BEING CLRED BY ATC THE FIRST CLASS FLT ATTENDANT WAS TRYING TO REACH US VIA THE INTERPHONE. ABOUT A MIN OR 2 HAD PASSED WHEN I MADE CONTACT WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT, SHE INFORMED ME THAT SHE HAD A GALLEY FIRE AND IT WAS OUT. WE TOLD ATC WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THEY RECLRED US TO FL350 FOR OUR FLT TO IAH. ATC INFORMED US THAT NO PAPERWORK WAS NECESSARY FOR THE EMER AND THAT THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT ON THEIR END. ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I DISCOVERED THAT 1 OF THE OVENS IN THE FORWARD GALLEY WAS MISSING THE HEAT-SHIELD. THE FLT ATTENDANT DID NOT REALIZE THE DANGER AND PROCEEDED TO USE THIS OVEN WHICH RESULTED IN THE OVEN FIRE. THE FA ALSO INFORMED ME THAT SHE SEES OVENS WITHOUT HEAT SHIELDS ALL THE TIME. I ASKED OTHER FA'S AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING. THE CAPT NOTIFIED MAINT OF THIS DANGEROUS SIT. ON FURTHER INSPECTION BY MAINT, THEY FOUND 1 OF THE AFT GALLEY OVENS WITH A MISSING HEAT SHIELD.

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.