Narrative:

Approximately 30 seconds after liftoff, I could smell a smoky smell down aisle-way -- like soldering wires. It was faint. I advised #1 flight attendant and left jump seat and walked down aisle aft. Very strong smell over rows 4 and 5. Returned to jump seat and advised flight attendant #1. Before I could call the cockpit, flight attendants #2 and #4 called to say they smelled it also. I then called the cockpit and advised the captain. He informed me that we would declare emergency and return to pdx. I made an announcement to the passenger. Captain then made announcement to the passenger, and we had a safe landing with no evacuate/evacuation necessary. There was no visual smoke in the cabin -- just a strong burning smell. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that the captain told the cabin crew they did not have to prepare for an evacuate/evacuation, and he told the passenger the same thing, except that if there was a fire on landing, he would say certain key words for an evacuate/evacuation. The plane was met by fire trucks and other emergency personnel. They deplaned through a jetbridge in portland, and then the mechanics who met the plane wanted the captain to take it on a test flight with them, and he vehemently replied that he would not. The plane was then taken OTS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, MD80, PDX-RNO. ELECTRICAL BURNING WIRE SMELL ON TKOF. RETURN TO PDX FOR MAINT CHK.

Narrative: APPROX 30 SECONDS AFTER LIFTOFF, I COULD SMELL A SMOKY SMELL DOWN AISLE-WAY -- LIKE SOLDERING WIRES. IT WAS FAINT. I ADVISED #1 FLT ATTENDANT AND LEFT JUMP SEAT AND WALKED DOWN AISLE AFT. VERY STRONG SMELL OVER ROWS 4 AND 5. RETURNED TO JUMP SEAT AND ADVISED FLT ATTENDANT #1. BEFORE I COULD CALL THE COCKPIT, FLT ATTENDANTS #2 AND #4 CALLED TO SAY THEY SMELLED IT ALSO. I THEN CALLED THE COCKPIT AND ADVISED THE CAPT. HE INFORMED ME THAT WE WOULD DECLARE EMER AND RETURN TO PDX. I MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX. CAPT THEN MADE ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX, AND WE HAD A SAFE LNDG WITH NO EVAC NECESSARY. THERE WAS NO VISUAL SMOKE IN THE CABIN -- JUST A STRONG BURNING SMELL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THE CAPT TOLD THE CABIN CREW THEY DID NOT HAVE TO PREPARE FOR AN EVAC, AND HE TOLD THE PAX THE SAME THING, EXCEPT THAT IF THERE WAS A FIRE ON LNDG, HE WOULD SAY CERTAIN KEY WORDS FOR AN EVAC. THE PLANE WAS MET BY FIRE TRUCKS AND OTHER EMER PERSONNEL. THEY DEPLANED THROUGH A JETBRIDGE IN PORTLAND, AND THEN THE MECHS WHO MET THE PLANE WANTED THE CAPT TO TAKE IT ON A TEST FLT WITH THEM, AND HE VEHEMENTLY REPLIED THAT HE WOULD NOT. THE PLANE WAS THEN TAKEN OTS.

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.