A B737-300 in cruise at FL230 declared an emergency and diverted due to electrical odor and fumes caused by blocked transformer rectifier cooling screens.

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Attributes
ACN	477343
Time
Date	200006
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdt.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j152.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	477343
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	477611
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : person 4
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : installation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Jun/tue/00, electrical fumes in cabin flight XXX roc-dca FL230. Departed roc at XA43. 30 mins into flight, a flight attendant reported electrical smell in mid to forward cabin. I went back and confirmed. We, the flight crew, proceeded with smoke/fumes QRH emergency checklist. We proceeded to nearest suitable airport which was mdt. Declared an emergency. Fumes did not get any worse. Proceeded direct to mdt. Landed without incident after checking with ATC and flight attendant that fumes were not worse and no signs of fire. Flight was taxied to the gate. Aircraft was on the ground within 10 mins, blocked in at XB36 mdt. Cause: jun/wed/00 we talked to maintenance, cause of the electrical fumes were a totally clogged vent screen for the thrust reversers, some scorching found.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 IN CRUISE AT FL230 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO ELECTRICAL ODOR AND FUMES CAUSED BY BLOCKED TRANSFORMER RECTIFIER COOLING SCREENS.

Narrative: JUN/TUE/00, ELECTRICAL FUMES IN CABIN FLT XXX ROC-DCA FL230. DEPARTED ROC AT XA43. 30 MINS INTO FLT, A FLT ATTENDANT RPTED ELECTRICAL SMELL IN MID TO FORWARD CABIN. I WENT BACK AND CONFIRMED. WE, THE FLC, PROCEEDED WITH SMOKE/FUMES QRH EMER CHKLIST. WE PROCEEDED TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT WHICH WAS MDT. DECLARED AN EMER. FUMES DID NOT GET ANY WORSE. PROCEEDED DIRECT TO MDT. LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AFTER CHKING WITH ATC AND FLT ATTENDANT THAT FUMES WERE NOT WORSE AND NO SIGNS OF FIRE. FLT WAS TAXIED TO THE GATE. ACFT WAS ON THE GND WITHIN 10 MINS, BLOCKED IN AT XB36 MDT. CAUSE: JUN/WED/00 WE TALKED TO MAINT, CAUSE OF THE ELECTRICAL FUMES WERE A TOTALLY CLOGGED VENT SCREEN FOR THE THRUST REVERSERS, SOME SCORCHING FOUND.

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.