Narrative:

Captain, the flight attendant and myself (first officer) boarded the aircraft at approximately XA00. After boarding the passenger, we closed the main cabin door, pushed back and started engines. We began taxiing out to runway 13 in lga. It was the captain's leg and the takeoff was uneventful. The climb out continued and at some point at altitude, we commented to each other that we could smell something in the cockpit. I'm not sure if we were at cruise or still in the climb. We were unable to identify first the source and secondly what it smelled like. We contacted the flight attendant and asked her if she could smell anything. She indicated she could smell a faint odor towards the front of the cabin. We asked her to check the galley area and the coffee pot warmers, as those have been the source in the past. She indicated to us that it didn't seem any stronger in the galley. At this point the smell was unpleasant, but in my opinion, nothing more. We continued to investigate in the cockpit by touching different areas to feel for excessive heat. Circuit breaker panels, FMS area, etc. Nothing presented itself at that time. The captain then recommended that I go back into the cabin and check it out. I left the cockpit and went into the galley and found nothing that seemed to be generating the odor. I then walked back through the cabin to the restroom. I smelled nothing in the cabin or in the bathroom. I viewed into the baggage compartment and everything looked normal. Upon re-entering to the cockpit, I again encountered the smell. After some additional discussion, the captain requested that I contact the company through commercial radio. I reported that we had an unusual smell in the cockpit only, and that at this time there had been no visual indications of smoke. They recommended that we try different pack and bleed combinations and try turning the recirculation fans off. We asked ATC for a descent to a lower altitude and tried turning the packs off individually one at a time and then started the APU and turned off the engine bleeds. We also turned off the recirculation fans and gasper fans. None of these actions had any effect in stopping the odor. At times throughout the flight, the smell would seem stronger than at other times and even seemed to be stronger on one side than the other, then would switch. We were approaching chs and called in range asking them to call and inform maintenance that we would call them and talk to them further on the ground. As we got to lower altitudes, maybe below 5000 ft, the odor seemed to disappear. The landing was smooth and uneventful. After deplaning, the captain went into operations and called the company. Both he and I, in our postflt walkaround, found no indications as to the source of the odor. The captain returned from his phone call and reported on both the generator problem and the odor situation. The smell was a mystery to them. He relayed that maintenance's best diagnosis was residual oil being burned and somehow being brought into the cockpit. They felt that it would eventually go away. They also indicated that aviation oil being burned might smell different than normal automotive oil. Either way, the captain asked both the flight attendant and myself if we were comfortable to continue, to which I answered yes. We boarded and left. The leg back to lga was mine. The takeoff and climb out was normal. I don't recall exactly when the odor began to reappear. It's important to remember that we had been smelling and breathing it for the last 2 hours. During cruise, we were in periodic contact with the flight attendant to confirm that there was no increase in intensity and that there were no new developments in the cabin. During the descent, between approximately 10000 ft and 8000 ft, the captain started the APU. At this time we were IMC. Shortly after the APU start, the odor became significantly stronger. Stronger than at any point that day. It was becoming uncomfortable to breathe. The captain then immediately shut the APU down and turned off both the recirculation fans and gasper fans. It's important to note at this point that neither of us had any visual signs of smoke, only the smell. Shortly after that, I leaned forward and noticed smoke curling out from between the captain's forward windshield and what appeared to be either a black plastic or rubber 'dash board,' for lack of a better word -- right where the 3 wires for the windshield heat appear. I quickly called his attention to this, at which point he commanded we don our oxygen masks. We established communication and he informed ATC that we had smoke in the cockpit and needed to proceed directly to lga. We were given 090 degree heading and were instructed to intercept the localizer for runway 4. I reached up and turned off the windshield heat. That appeared to stop the smoke. We were still IMC. The captain called the flight attendant to inform her of the new developments and asked her if she had any signs in the cabin. She said that there seemed to be an increase in the intensity of the smell, otherwise no visual indications. We were subsequently cleared for the approach and intercepted the GS from 7000 ft. The captain requested that the emergency equipment be standing by. We broke out at about 2500 ft. The captain informed ATC that we would be evacuating as a precautionary measure. The approach and landing was as normal as the situation allowed and we exited to the right on taxiway G. The captain informed the flight attendant that we would be doing a precautionary evacuate/evacuation and that there was nothing to be alarmed about and to try and keep the passenger calm. Upon the flight attendant opening the main door, a gentleman who idented himself as fire/rescue entered the cockpit, commented on the smell and asked us a few questions regarding the origin. Once the passenger were deplaned and there was no indication of any further smoke, the captain, the flight attendant and I determined that it would be safe to taxi the aircraft to the hangar. Fire/rescue confirmed that nothing appeared unusual on the outside of the aircraft. We both opened our cockpit windows and taxied back to the hangar.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 CREW HAD FUMES AND SMOKE IN COCKPIT.

Narrative: CAPT, THE FLT ATTENDANT AND MYSELF (FO) BOARDED THE ACFT AT APPROX XA00. AFTER BOARDING THE PAX, WE CLOSED THE MAIN CABIN DOOR, PUSHED BACK AND STARTED ENGS. WE BEGAN TAXIING OUT TO RWY 13 IN LGA. IT WAS THE CAPT'S LEG AND THE TKOF WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE CLBOUT CONTINUED AND AT SOME POINT AT ALT, WE COMMENTED TO EACH OTHER THAT WE COULD SMELL SOMETHING IN THE COCKPIT. I'M NOT SURE IF WE WERE AT CRUISE OR STILL IN THE CLB. WE WERE UNABLE TO IDENT FIRST THE SOURCE AND SECONDLY WHAT IT SMELLED LIKE. WE CONTACTED THE FLT ATTENDANT AND ASKED HER IF SHE COULD SMELL ANYTHING. SHE INDICATED SHE COULD SMELL A FAINT ODOR TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE CABIN. WE ASKED HER TO CHK THE GALLEY AREA AND THE COFFEE POT WARMERS, AS THOSE HAVE BEEN THE SOURCE IN THE PAST. SHE INDICATED TO US THAT IT DIDN'T SEEM ANY STRONGER IN THE GALLEY. AT THIS POINT THE SMELL WAS UNPLEASANT, BUT IN MY OPINION, NOTHING MORE. WE CONTINUED TO INVESTIGATE IN THE COCKPIT BY TOUCHING DIFFERENT AREAS TO FEEL FOR EXCESSIVE HEAT. CIRCUIT BREAKER PANELS, FMS AREA, ETC. NOTHING PRESENTED ITSELF AT THAT TIME. THE CAPT THEN RECOMMENDED THAT I GO BACK INTO THE CABIN AND CHK IT OUT. I LEFT THE COCKPIT AND WENT INTO THE GALLEY AND FOUND NOTHING THAT SEEMED TO BE GENERATING THE ODOR. I THEN WALKED BACK THROUGH THE CABIN TO THE RESTROOM. I SMELLED NOTHING IN THE CABIN OR IN THE BATHROOM. I VIEWED INTO THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT AND EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL. UPON RE-ENTERING TO THE COCKPIT, I AGAIN ENCOUNTERED THE SMELL. AFTER SOME ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION, THE CAPT REQUESTED THAT I CONTACT THE COMPANY THROUGH COMMERCIAL RADIO. I RPTED THAT WE HAD AN UNUSUAL SMELL IN THE COCKPIT ONLY, AND THAT AT THIS TIME THERE HAD BEEN NO VISUAL INDICATIONS OF SMOKE. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE TRY DIFFERENT PACK AND BLEED COMBINATIONS AND TRY TURNING THE RECIRCULATION FANS OFF. WE ASKED ATC FOR A DSCNT TO A LOWER ALT AND TRIED TURNING THE PACKS OFF INDIVIDUALLY ONE AT A TIME AND THEN STARTED THE APU AND TURNED OFF THE ENG BLEEDS. WE ALSO TURNED OFF THE RECIRCULATION FANS AND GASPER FANS. NONE OF THESE ACTIONS HAD ANY EFFECT IN STOPPING THE ODOR. AT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE FLT, THE SMELL WOULD SEEM STRONGER THAN AT OTHER TIMES AND EVEN SEEMED TO BE STRONGER ON ONE SIDE THAN THE OTHER, THEN WOULD SWITCH. WE WERE APCHING CHS AND CALLED IN RANGE ASKING THEM TO CALL AND INFORM MAINT THAT WE WOULD CALL THEM AND TALK TO THEM FURTHER ON THE GND. AS WE GOT TO LOWER ALTS, MAYBE BELOW 5000 FT, THE ODOR SEEMED TO DISAPPEAR. THE LNDG WAS SMOOTH AND UNEVENTFUL. AFTER DEPLANING, THE CAPT WENT INTO OPS AND CALLED THE COMPANY. BOTH HE AND I, IN OUR POSTFLT WALKAROUND, FOUND NO INDICATIONS AS TO THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR. THE CAPT RETURNED FROM HIS PHONE CALL AND RPTED ON BOTH THE GENERATOR PROB AND THE ODOR SIT. THE SMELL WAS A MYSTERY TO THEM. HE RELAYED THAT MAINT'S BEST DIAGNOSIS WAS RESIDUAL OIL BEING BURNED AND SOMEHOW BEING BROUGHT INTO THE COCKPIT. THEY FELT THAT IT WOULD EVENTUALLY GO AWAY. THEY ALSO INDICATED THAT AVIATION OIL BEING BURNED MIGHT SMELL DIFFERENT THAN NORMAL AUTOMOTIVE OIL. EITHER WAY, THE CAPT ASKED BOTH THE FLT ATTENDANT AND MYSELF IF WE WERE COMFORTABLE TO CONTINUE, TO WHICH I ANSWERED YES. WE BOARDED AND LEFT. THE LEG BACK TO LGA WAS MINE. THE TKOF AND CLBOUT WAS NORMAL. I DON'T RECALL EXACTLY WHEN THE ODOR BEGAN TO REAPPEAR. IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WE HAD BEEN SMELLING AND BREATHING IT FOR THE LAST 2 HRS. DURING CRUISE, WE WERE IN PERIODIC CONTACT WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT TO CONFIRM THAT THERE WAS NO INCREASE IN INTENSITY AND THAT THERE WERE NO NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CABIN. DURING THE DSCNT, BTWN APPROX 10000 FT AND 8000 FT, THE CAPT STARTED THE APU. AT THIS TIME WE WERE IMC. SHORTLY AFTER THE APU START, THE ODOR BECAME SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER. STRONGER THAN AT ANY POINT THAT DAY. IT WAS BECOMING UNCOMFORTABLE TO BREATHE. THE CAPT THEN IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE APU DOWN AND TURNED OFF BOTH THE RECIRCULATION FANS AND GASPER FANS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE AT THIS POINT THAT NEITHER OF US HAD ANY VISUAL SIGNS OF SMOKE, ONLY THE SMELL. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I LEANED FORWARD AND NOTICED SMOKE CURLING OUT FROM BTWN THE CAPT'S FORWARD WINDSHIELD AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE EITHER A BLACK PLASTIC OR RUBBER 'DASH BOARD,' FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD -- RIGHT WHERE THE 3 WIRES FOR THE WINDSHIELD HEAT APPEAR. I QUICKLY CALLED HIS ATTN TO THIS, AT WHICH POINT HE COMMANDED WE DON OUR OXYGEN MASKS. WE ESTABLISHED COM AND HE INFORMED ATC THAT WE HAD SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND NEEDED TO PROCEED DIRECTLY TO LGA. WE WERE GIVEN 090 DEG HDG AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO INTERCEPT THE LOC FOR RWY 4. I REACHED UP AND TURNED OFF THE WINDSHIELD HEAT. THAT APPEARED TO STOP THE SMOKE. WE WERE STILL IMC. THE CAPT CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO INFORM HER OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND ASKED HER IF SHE HAD ANY SIGNS IN THE CABIN. SHE SAID THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE AN INCREASE IN THE INTENSITY OF THE SMELL, OTHERWISE NO VISUAL INDICATIONS. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR THE APCH AND INTERCEPTED THE GS FROM 7000 FT. THE CAPT REQUESTED THAT THE EMER EQUIP BE STANDING BY. WE BROKE OUT AT ABOUT 2500 FT. THE CAPT INFORMED ATC THAT WE WOULD BE EVACUATING AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. THE APCH AND LNDG WAS AS NORMAL AS THE SIT ALLOWED AND WE EXITED TO THE R ON TXWY G. THE CAPT INFORMED THE FLT ATTENDANT THAT WE WOULD BE DOING A PRECAUTIONARY EVAC AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE ALARMED ABOUT AND TO TRY AND KEEP THE PAX CALM. UPON THE FLT ATTENDANT OPENING THE MAIN DOOR, A GENTLEMAN WHO IDENTED HIMSELF AS FIRE/RESCUE ENTERED THE COCKPIT, COMMENTED ON THE SMELL AND ASKED US A FEW QUESTIONS REGARDING THE ORIGIN. ONCE THE PAX WERE DEPLANED AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY FURTHER SMOKE, THE CAPT, THE FLT ATTENDANT AND I DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE SAFE TO TAXI THE ACFT TO THE HANGAR. FIRE/RESCUE CONFIRMED THAT NOTHING APPEARED UNUSUAL ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ACFT. WE BOTH OPENED OUR COCKPIT WINDOWS AND TAXIED BACK TO THE HANGAR.

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.