An md super 80 flight crew heard and observed a loud pop and flash from the overhead circuit breaker...

Attributes
ACN	433186
Time
Date	199903
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc tower : mia.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	433186
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Nearing leveloff at FL310, crew heard a loud pop and saw a bright flash near the upper portion of the epc panel near the cockpit door. No breakers popped. About 5-7 mins later, a second pop and flash from same location. Crew elected to declare an emergency and divert to stl. The captain coordinated with the flight attendants on the emergency and appropriate actions while I flew the aircraft. About 3000 ft, the smell of electrical smoke was noticed and we donned oxygen masks for the remainder of the flight. No visible smoke was detected at any time. After landing stl, fire followed us to the taxiway where we completed the electrical fire/smoke from unknown source and normal shutdown checklists. No emergency ground evacuate/evacuation was began as the conditions did not require it. Entered aircraft from aft stairs and reported nothing unusual. Called for a tug before aircraft completely shut down, then the captain spoke to the passenger on the megaphone about the situation. Towed to the gate and deplaned uneventfully. ATC center and stl performed exceptionally -- as did stl and fire station personnel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD SUPER 80 FLC HEARD AND OBSERVED A LOUD POP AND FLASH FROM THE OVERHEAD CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL. 5-7 MINS LATER THE LOUD POP AND FLASH OCCURRED AGAIN AND THE FLC DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED AT THE NEAREST ARPT.

Narrative: NEARING LEVELOFF AT FL310, CREW HEARD A LOUD POP AND SAW A BRIGHT FLASH NEAR THE UPPER PORTION OF THE EPC PANEL NEAR THE COCKPIT DOOR. NO BREAKERS POPPED. ABOUT 5-7 MINS LATER, A SECOND POP AND FLASH FROM SAME LOCATION. CREW ELECTED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND DIVERT TO STL. THE CAPT COORDINATED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS ON THE EMER AND APPROPRIATE ACTIONS WHILE I FLEW THE ACFT. ABOUT 3000 FT, THE SMELL OF ELECTRICAL SMOKE WAS NOTICED AND WE DONNED OXYGEN MASKS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. NO VISIBLE SMOKE WAS DETECTED AT ANY TIME. AFTER LNDG STL, FIRE FOLLOWED US TO THE TXWY WHERE WE COMPLETED THE ELECTRICAL FIRE/SMOKE FROM UNKNOWN SOURCE AND NORMAL SHUTDOWN CHKLISTS. NO EMER GND EVAC WAS BEGAN AS THE CONDITIONS DID NOT REQUIRE IT. ENTERED ACFT FROM AFT STAIRS AND RPTED NOTHING UNUSUAL. CALLED FOR A TUG BEFORE ACFT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, THEN THE CAPT SPOKE TO THE PAX ON THE MEGAPHONE ABOUT THE SIT. TOWED TO THE GATE AND DEPLANED UNEVENTFULLY. ATC CTR AND STL PERFORMED EXCEPTIONALLY -- AS DID STL AND FIRE STATION PERSONNEL.

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.

An md super 80 flight crew heard and observed a loud pop and flash from the overhead circuit breaker panel. 5-7 mins later the loud pop and flash occurred again and the flight crew declared an emergency and landed at the nearest airport.