A B767-300 experienced smoke in the cockpit over the north atlantic. The source of smoke was traced ...

Attributes
ACN	435296
Time
Date	199904
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : einn.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 34000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 174 flight time total : 4094 flight time type : 226
ASRS Report	435296
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While cruising wbound at FL340 at approximately 56 degrees north 20 degrees west, we experienced an episode of smoke in the cockpit. We had just completed a crew change brief when I noticed an electrical smell. At the same time the captain and relief copilot noticed smoke coming from the junction of the center console and the forward instrument panel. We immediately put on our oxygen masks and then went about establishing crew communications. Next we ran the checklist for smoke/fumesecond officerdors in the cockpit. Upon completing that checklist, we began searching for the source of the smoke. Our status page on the forward instrument panel told of the forward exhaust outflow fan having failed. Upon calling the company on the satcom and being tied in with our maintenance control center, we were informed that a failure of this fan would lead to the smoke and odor that we experienced. Upon failing, the fan's circuit breaker popped and in doing so all power to the fan was cut off. This in turn stopped the smoke from coming into the cockpit. Maintenance suggested that we turn off the recirculation fans to evacuate/evacuation the lingering odor from the cockpit. They also suggested that we check below the flight deck in the electronics bay to ensure there were no other circuit breakers tripped nor other signs of problems. We discussed the possibility of a pbe being required while investigating the electronics bay. Since there were no longer any signs of smoke, we decided it wouldn't be necessary to use a pbe. We also discussed the issue of diverting. Our checklist instructs us to land at the nearest suitable airport only if the source of the smoke/fumesecond officerdors cannot be found and confirmed. With the status message, the tripped circuit breaker, and the maintenance control center's input, we felt 100% certain the fan was the source of the smoke and odors. Once the fan's power was cut, there was no longer a problem. Armed with that knowledge, we felt there was no requirement to divert. We continued to our destination without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 EXPERIENCED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC. THE SOURCE OF SMOKE WAS TRACED TO THE RECIRCULATING FANS BY USE OF THE CHKLIST AND SATCOM COM WITH MAINT.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING WBOUND AT FL340 AT APPROX 56 DEGS N 20 DEGS W, WE EXPERIENCED AN EPISODE OF SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. WE HAD JUST COMPLETED A CREW CHANGE BRIEF WHEN I NOTICED AN ELECTRICAL SMELL. AT THE SAME TIME THE CAPT AND RELIEF COPLT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE JUNCTION OF THE CTR CONSOLE AND THE FORWARD INST PANEL. WE IMMEDIATELY PUT ON OUR OXYGEN MASKS AND THEN WENT ABOUT ESTABLISHING CREW COMS. NEXT WE RAN THE CHKLIST FOR SMOKE/FUMES/ODORS IN THE COCKPIT. UPON COMPLETING THAT CHKLIST, WE BEGAN SEARCHING FOR THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE. OUR STATUS PAGE ON THE FORWARD INST PANEL TOLD OF THE FORWARD EXHAUST OUTFLOW FAN HAVING FAILED. UPON CALLING THE COMPANY ON THE SATCOM AND BEING TIED IN WITH OUR MAINT CTL CTR, WE WERE INFORMED THAT A FAILURE OF THIS FAN WOULD LEAD TO THE SMOKE AND ODOR THAT WE EXPERIENCED. UPON FAILING, THE FAN'S CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED AND IN DOING SO ALL PWR TO THE FAN WAS CUT OFF. THIS IN TURN STOPPED THE SMOKE FROM COMING INTO THE COCKPIT. MAINT SUGGESTED THAT WE TURN OFF THE RECIRCULATION FANS TO EVAC THE LINGERING ODOR FROM THE COCKPIT. THEY ALSO SUGGESTED THAT WE CHK BELOW THE FLT DECK IN THE ELECTRONICS BAY TO ENSURE THERE WERE NO OTHER CIRCUIT BREAKERS TRIPPED NOR OTHER SIGNS OF PROBS. WE DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF A PBE BEING REQUIRED WHILE INVESTIGATING THE ELECTRONICS BAY. SINCE THERE WERE NO LONGER ANY SIGNS OF SMOKE, WE DECIDED IT WOULDN'T BE NECESSARY TO USE A PBE. WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE ISSUE OF DIVERTING. OUR CHKLIST INSTRUCTS US TO LAND AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT ONLY IF THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE/FUMES/ODORS CANNOT BE FOUND AND CONFIRMED. WITH THE STATUS MESSAGE, THE TRIPPED CIRCUIT BREAKER, AND THE MAINT CTL CTR'S INPUT, WE FELT 100% CERTAIN THE FAN WAS THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE AND ODORS. ONCE THE FAN'S PWR WAS CUT, THERE WAS NO LONGER A PROB. ARMED WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE, WE FELT THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT TO DIVERT. WE CONTINUED TO OUR DEST WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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 B767-300 experienced smoke in the cockpit over the north atlantic. The source of smoke was traced to the recirculating fans by use of the checklist and satcom communication with maintenance.