Flight crew of a DC9 declared an emergency and returned to land after flight crew and flight attendants smelled odor when the aircraft was pressurizing.

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Attributes
ACN	449265
Time
Date	199905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : dxo.vor
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d21.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	449265
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cockpit and cabin odor other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Shortly after liftoff, crew noted fumes in the cockpit. Climbing through 1000 ft AGL, aft flight attendant reported same. Asked lead flight attendant to monitor situation -- check galley, report any changes. Fumes cleared from cockpit. Asked flight attendant to conduct cabin walk-through. She reported aft cabin was still noticeably smelly. Elected to return to dtw. Declared in-flight emergency with ATC. Briefed lead flight attendant of planned return. Advised passenger. Did not have (take) time to discuss (advise) dispatch of details. Completed checklists. Turned off left pack in descent through 10000 ft MSL. Turned off right pack and selected ram air at 2000 ft AGL. After landing, lead flight attendant reported all fumes had disappeared. Taxi-in was without incident. No aircraft damage, no passenger injuries, no adverse comments. Note: frequency congestion on ground control (132.72/119.45) made contact/coordination with dtw (rescue) command very difficult.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A DC9 DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO LAND AFTER FLC AND FLT ATTENDANTS SMELLED ODOR WHEN THE ACFT WAS PRESSURIZING.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, CREW NOTED FUMES IN THE COCKPIT. CLBING THROUGH 1000 FT AGL, AFT FLT ATTENDANT RPTED SAME. ASKED LEAD FLT ATTENDANT TO MONITOR SIT -- CHK GALLEY, RPT ANY CHANGES. FUMES CLRED FROM COCKPIT. ASKED FLT ATTENDANT TO CONDUCT CABIN WALK-THROUGH. SHE RPTED AFT CABIN WAS STILL NOTICEABLY SMELLY. ELECTED TO RETURN TO DTW. DECLARED INFLT EMER WITH ATC. BRIEFED LEAD FLT ATTENDANT OF PLANNED RETURN. ADVISED PAX. DID NOT HAVE (TAKE) TIME TO DISCUSS (ADVISE) DISPATCH OF DETAILS. COMPLETED CHKLISTS. TURNED OFF L PACK IN DSCNT THROUGH 10000 FT MSL. TURNED OFF R PACK AND SELECTED RAM AIR AT 2000 FT AGL. AFTER LNDG, LEAD FLT ATTENDANT RPTED ALL FUMES HAD DISAPPEARED. TAXI-IN WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO ACFT DAMAGE, NO PAX INJURIES, NO ADVERSE COMMENTS. NOTE: FREQ CONGESTION ON GND CTL (132.72/119.45) MADE CONTACT/COORD WITH DTW (RESCUE) COMMAND VERY DIFFICULT.

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.