Aircraft equipment problem bleed air leak fumes in cockpit malfunction. Return land. Emergency groun...

Attributes
ACN	319066
Time
Date	199510
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tracon : bwi tower : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 41
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v214 enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	319066
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
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On V214 over bwi we experienced strong fuel fumes in the cockpit. After trying to adjust the flows (bleed air) the strong fumes continued. We consulted with the flight attendant who smelled the fumes also in the galley and cockpit, advised us that it didn't smell in the cabin. We advised the flight attendant that we would be returning to iad (our departure point) which was much closer than our destination jfk. We opted not to land at bwi because the fumes were not overpowering. When informed of our intentions, ATC inquired why we were returning, the captain said, 'due to fumes in the cockpit.' ATC responded, 'understand smoke in the cockpit.' our captain said 'no smoke, fumes, we are not declaring an emergency.' ATC said they understood, but on final approach into iad, approach asked how many souls on board. Our captain again stated we had not declared an emergency, approach said roger, their supervisor had. We landed without incident. When the captain called the tower about it, the supervisor stated that baltimore approach had informed them we had smoke in the cockpit. We never had smoke in the cockpit, only fuel fumes in the cockpit. There was never any indication of any problem other than the bleed airs pumping fuel smelling air into the cockpit. We did return to iad due to the fumes, but never felt there was any chance of danger, so we did not declare an emergency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB BLEED AIR LEAK FUMES IN COCKPIT MALFUNCTION. RETURN LAND. EMER GND EQUIP CALLED, EMER DECLARED BY ATCT LCL CTLR SUPVR.

Narrative: ON V214 OVER BWI WE EXPERIENCED STRONG FUEL FUMES IN THE COCKPIT. AFTER TRYING TO ADJUST THE FLOWS (BLEED AIR) THE STRONG FUMES CONTINUED. WE CONSULTED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT WHO SMELLED THE FUMES ALSO IN THE GALLEY AND COCKPIT, ADVISED US THAT IT DIDN'T SMELL IN THE CABIN. WE ADVISED THE FLT ATTENDANT THAT WE WOULD BE RETURNING TO IAD (OUR DEP POINT) WHICH WAS MUCH CLOSER THAN OUR DEST JFK. WE OPTED NOT TO LAND AT BWI BECAUSE THE FUMES WERE NOT OVERPOWERING. WHEN INFORMED OF OUR INTENTIONS, ATC INQUIRED WHY WE WERE RETURNING, THE CAPT SAID, 'DUE TO FUMES IN THE COCKPIT.' ATC RESPONDED, 'UNDERSTAND SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT.' OUR CAPT SAID 'NO SMOKE, FUMES, WE ARE NOT DECLARING AN EMER.' ATC SAID THEY UNDERSTOOD, BUT ON FINAL APCH INTO IAD, APCH ASKED HOW MANY SOULS ON BOARD. OUR CAPT AGAIN STATED WE HAD NOT DECLARED AN EMER, APCH SAID ROGER, THEIR SUPVR HAD. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHEN THE CAPT CALLED THE TWR ABOUT IT, THE SUPVR STATED THAT BALTIMORE APCH HAD INFORMED THEM WE HAD SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. WE NEVER HAD SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, ONLY FUEL FUMES IN THE COCKPIT. THERE WAS NEVER ANY INDICATION OF ANY PROB OTHER THAN THE BLEED AIRS PUMPING FUEL SMELLING AIR INTO THE COCKPIT. WE DID RETURN TO IAD DUE TO THE FUMES, BUT NEVER FELT THERE WAS ANY CHANCE OF DANGER, SO WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER.

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.

Aircraft equipment problem bleed air leak fumes in cockpit malfunction. Return land. Emergency ground equipment called, emergency declared by ATCT local controller supervisor.