A B737-200 flight crew had smoke or haze in the cabin and landed at chs after declaring an emergency...

Attributes
ACN	439564
Time
Date	199906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : chs.vortac
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
ASRS Report	439564
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I received a report of smoke/haze in the cabin from the flight attendant. We declared an emergency, and requested an immediate descent diversion to charleston. No turn or descent was initiated prior to ATC consent, however, airspeed below 10000 ft may have exceeded 250 KTS for a period of time. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter indicated the presence of smoke was verified by the first officer who inspected the cabin but was unable to locate the source. Following the inspection, the first officer recommended landing at first suitable airport. The smoke had dissipated during a post landing cabin inspection. The aircraft was removed from service for maintenance. This crew demonstrated good CRM techniques.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 FLC HAD SMOKE OR HAZE IN THE CABIN AND LANDED AT CHS AFTER DECLARING AN EMER.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A RPT OF SMOKE/HAZE IN THE CABIN FROM THE FLT ATTENDANT. WE DECLARED AN EMER, AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT DIVERSION TO CHARLESTON. NO TURN OR DSCNT WAS INITIATED PRIOR TO ATC CONSENT, HOWEVER, AIRSPD BELOW 10000 FT MAY HAVE EXCEEDED 250 KTS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR INDICATED THE PRESENCE OF SMOKE WAS VERIFIED BY THE FO WHO INSPECTED THE CABIN BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE SOURCE. FOLLOWING THE INSPECTION, THE FO RECOMMENDED LNDG AT FIRST SUITABLE ARPT. THE SMOKE HAD DISSIPATED DURING A POST LNDG CABIN INSPECTION. THE ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM SVC FOR MAINT. THIS CREW DEMONSTRATED GOOD CRM TECHNIQUES.

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.