Multiple cabin attendants' report, MD80, dfw-sat. Smoke in aft cabin. Return to dfw. No evacuate/eva...

Attributes
ACN	465020
Time
Date	200002
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : d10.tracon
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 5
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 1.7 flight attendant time total : 1.7
ASRS Report	465020
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 5
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 0.10 flight attendant time total : 0.10 flight attendant time type : 80
ASRS Report	463319
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : cab #1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Promptly after takeoff, fumes and smoke were apparent in main cabin. Flight attendant #4 called the flight attendant in charge and she advised captain. Within seconds, ATC and the captain decided to return to dfw and we landed in 4 mins. Firefighters did not find anything that was obviously wrong looking at the aircraft from the exterior. We returned to a gate, and firefighters found a type of leak that might've produced the strong fumes and smoke. We were able to attain another aircraft and proceeded to our destination. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that when the captain opened the cockpit door to see about the smoke, he saw the smoke creeping forward. ATC cleared them to land immediately and they landed in less than 4 mins. He told the crew that there wouldn't be an evacuate/evacuation, but that they should be prepared for one, just in case. 2 women, who were traveling with their children, got really scared, and grabbed the flight attendants' hand and wouldn't let go for landing. The flight attendants were finally able to let their hands go and got back to their jump seats just in time for landing. Supplemental information from acn 465020: I could see the smoke in rear 1/2 of airplane, roughly 10 mins till landing. Supplemental information from acn 463319: climbing at 6000 ft, flight attendant #2 informed flight attendant #1 of smoke in cabin aft. All flight attendants have their safety manual ready if evacuate/evacuation became necessary. Passenger were calm and grateful when deplaning.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE CABIN ATTENDANTS' RPT, MD80, DFW-SAT. SMOKE IN AFT CABIN. RETURN TO DFW. NO EVAC NECESSARY. FIRE TRUCKS. FIREMEN FOUND LEAK UNDER BELLY OF PLANE.

Narrative: PROMPTLY AFTER TKOF, FUMES AND SMOKE WERE APPARENT IN MAIN CABIN. FLT ATTENDANT #4 CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANT IN CHARGE AND SHE ADVISED CAPT. WITHIN SECONDS, ATC AND THE CAPT DECIDED TO RETURN TO DFW AND WE LANDED IN 4 MINS. FIREFIGHTERS DID NOT FIND ANYTHING THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY WRONG LOOKING AT THE ACFT FROM THE EXTERIOR. WE RETURNED TO A GATE, AND FIREFIGHTERS FOUND A TYPE OF LEAK THAT MIGHT'VE PRODUCED THE STRONG FUMES AND SMOKE. WE WERE ABLE TO ATTAIN ANOTHER ACFT AND PROCEEDED TO OUR DEST. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT WHEN THE CAPT OPENED THE COCKPIT DOOR TO SEE ABOUT THE SMOKE, HE SAW THE SMOKE CREEPING FORWARD. ATC CLRED THEM TO LAND IMMEDIATELY AND THEY LANDED IN LESS THAN 4 MINS. HE TOLD THE CREW THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE AN EVAC, BUT THAT THEY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR ONE, JUST IN CASE. 2 WOMEN, WHO WERE TRAVELING WITH THEIR CHILDREN, GOT REALLY SCARED, AND GRABBED THE FLT ATTENDANTS' HAND AND WOULDN'T LET GO FOR LNDG. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE FINALLY ABLE TO LET THEIR HANDS GO AND GOT BACK TO THEIR JUMP SEATS JUST IN TIME FOR LNDG. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 465020: I COULD SEE THE SMOKE IN REAR 1/2 OF AIRPLANE, ROUGHLY 10 MINS TILL LNDG. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 463319: CLBING AT 6000 FT, FLT ATTENDANT #2 INFORMED FLT ATTENDANT #1 OF SMOKE IN CABIN AFT. ALL FLT ATTENDANTS HAVE THEIR SAFETY MANUAL READY IF EVAC BECAME NECESSARY. PAX WERE CALM AND GRATEFUL WHEN DEPLANING.

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.

Multiple cabin attendants' report, MD80, dfw-sat. Smoke in aft cabin. Return to dfw. No evacuate/evacuation necessary. Fire trucks. Firemen found leak under belly of plane.