A B737-300 flight diverts back to phx with a return land created by fumes in the cabin smelling like...

Attributes
ACN	399865
Time
Date	199804
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zab
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 9200
ASRS Report	399865
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

After takeoff flight and cabin crew notice fumes like a latex paint smell throughout aircraft. Fumes were not that intense so we waited to see if they would diminish in intensity. Put on 1 air conditioning pack on APU bleed to isolate source of smell. I donned my oxygen mask. Fumes continued so we had a jump seater from another company who flew B737's go back in cabin and check it out. He said fumes were strongest in first galley and back near row xx 'near aircraft's air conditioning distribution outlet.' also about this time the third flight attendant said door xx seal was squealing. We decided to return to our departure point (phx), consulted with our company dispatcher/maintenance and ZAB. Returned to field, landed overweight at 124000 pounds. It's amazing how easily distracted you get in potential dicey sits. ZAB had to remind me to descend to FL280 from FL290. I had forgotten to press level change. Also, when I was discussing with phx approach whether or not we would declare an emergency (we elected not to declare an emergency), I noticed I had descended below 10000 ft above 250 KTS. Training really pays off. My hats off to the crew and the jump seater. Everyone communicated well and kept the flow of information coming. CRM really does work.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 FLT DIVERTS BACK TO PHX WITH A RETURN LAND CREATED BY FUMES IN THE CABIN SMELLING LIKE LATEX PAINT. ON THE RETURN THE PIC FORGETS TO DSND TO FL280 FROM FL290. CTLR REMINDS HIM OF OVERSIGHT. NEAR PHX PIC EXCEEDS THE 25O KT RULING UNDER 10000 FT.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FLT AND CABIN CREW NOTICE FUMES LIKE A LATEX PAINT SMELL THROUGHOUT ACFT. FUMES WERE NOT THAT INTENSE SO WE WAITED TO SEE IF THEY WOULD DIMINISH IN INTENSITY. PUT ON 1 AIR CONDITIONING PACK ON APU BLEED TO ISOLATE SOURCE OF SMELL. I DONNED MY OXYGEN MASK. FUMES CONTINUED SO WE HAD A JUMP SEATER FROM ANOTHER COMPANY WHO FLEW B737'S GO BACK IN CABIN AND CHK IT OUT. HE SAID FUMES WERE STRONGEST IN FIRST GALLEY AND BACK NEAR ROW XX 'NEAR ACFT'S AIR CONDITIONING DISTRIBUTION OUTLET.' ALSO ABOUT THIS TIME THE THIRD FLT ATTENDANT SAID DOOR XX SEAL WAS SQUEALING. WE DECIDED TO RETURN TO OUR DEP POINT (PHX), CONSULTED WITH OUR COMPANY DISPATCHER/MAINT AND ZAB. RETURNED TO FIELD, LANDED OVERWT AT 124000 LBS. IT'S AMAZING HOW EASILY DISTRACTED YOU GET IN POTENTIAL DICEY SITS. ZAB HAD TO REMIND ME TO DSND TO FL280 FROM FL290. I HAD FORGOTTEN TO PRESS LEVEL CHANGE. ALSO, WHEN I WAS DISCUSSING WITH PHX APCH WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD DECLARE AN EMER (WE ELECTED NOT TO DECLARE AN EMER), I NOTICED I HAD DSNDED BELOW 10000 FT ABOVE 250 KTS. TRAINING REALLY PAYS OFF. MY HATS OFF TO THE CREW AND THE JUMP SEATER. EVERYONE COMMUNICATED WELL AND KEPT THE FLOW OF INFO COMING. CRM REALLY DOES WORK.

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.

A B737-300 flight diverts back to phx with a return land created by fumes in the cabin smelling like latex paint. On the return the PIC forgets to descend to FL280 from FL290. Controller reminds him of oversight. Near phx PIC exceeds the 25O KT ruling under 10000 ft.