Narrative:

We noticed a burning smell on the flight deck. We were unable to identify the source. The flight attendant was asked if she had smoke or could smell anything burning. She replied, no she could not. An emergency was declared and we returned to dfw, which was approximately 35 NM away. Crash fire rescue equipment was present upon landing and followed us to the gate. The burning smell dissipated after approximately 2 mins, and the source was never idented. The flight attendant had prepared the cabin for an emergency evacuate/evacuation as directed. Since the burning smell was no longer present, we deplaned the passenger through the main cabin door in the normal fashion. A maintenance write-up was made and how it was resolved is unknown to me at this time. Supplemental information from acn 440733: the captain of my flight noticed a burning smell on the flight deck. An emergency was declared as we turned back to dfw, approximately 35 NM away. The captain called the flight attendant to ask her if she smelled the smoke as well. Captain briefed flight attendant to expect an evacuate/evacuation. On the flight deck, all associated checklists were run, and the smell of the fumes subsided in approximately 2 mins. The aircraft landed at dfw without further incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: crew was flying a saab 340B aircraft. The captain reported the odor was electrical in nature. After landing, the air carrier maintenance department removed the aircraft from service for an extensive inspection. The captain does not know what was found. He flew this aircraft about 10 days later and things were normal at that time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF340 CREW HAD A BURNING SMELL IN THE COCKPIT.

Narrative: WE NOTICED A BURNING SMELL ON THE FLT DECK. WE WERE UNABLE TO IDENT THE SOURCE. THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS ASKED IF SHE HAD SMOKE OR COULD SMELL ANYTHING BURNING. SHE REPLIED, NO SHE COULD NOT. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND WE RETURNED TO DFW, WHICH WAS APPROX 35 NM AWAY. CFR WAS PRESENT UPON LNDG AND FOLLOWED US TO THE GATE. THE BURNING SMELL DISSIPATED AFTER APPROX 2 MINS, AND THE SOURCE WAS NEVER IDENTED. THE FLT ATTENDANT HAD PREPARED THE CABIN FOR AN EMER EVAC AS DIRECTED. SINCE THE BURNING SMELL WAS NO LONGER PRESENT, WE DEPLANED THE PAX THROUGH THE MAIN CABIN DOOR IN THE NORMAL FASHION. A MAINT WRITE-UP WAS MADE AND HOW IT WAS RESOLVED IS UNKNOWN TO ME AT THIS TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 440733: THE CAPT OF MY FLT NOTICED A BURNING SMELL ON THE FLT DECK. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AS WE TURNED BACK TO DFW, APPROX 35 NM AWAY. THE CAPT CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO ASK HER IF SHE SMELLED THE SMOKE AS WELL. CAPT BRIEFED FLT ATTENDANT TO EXPECT AN EVAC. ON THE FLT DECK, ALL ASSOCIATED CHKLISTS WERE RUN, AND THE SMELL OF THE FUMES SUBSIDED IN APPROX 2 MINS. THE ACFT LANDED AT DFW WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CREW WAS FLYING A SAAB 340B ACFT. THE CAPT RPTED THE ODOR WAS ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. AFTER LNDG, THE ACR MAINT DEPT REMOVED THE ACFT FROM SVC FOR AN EXTENSIVE INSPECTION. THE CAPT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT WAS FOUND. HE FLEW THIS ACFT ABOUT 10 DAYS LATER AND THINGS WERE NORMAL AT THAT TIME.

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.