Narrative:

On departure at 7500 ft flight attendants notified cockpit of smoke and fumes in the cabin. We confirmed this visually. We saw moderate smoke in the cabin. Later we smelled fumes. We could not identify source. We declared an emergency requesting to return to ont for landing. Flight attendants briefed for emergency landing. We completed the smoke and fumes checklist on the hard card. We then landed at 138000 pounds. Upon landing the smoke had cleared so we taxied to the gate requesting that the passenger deplane and not take anything with them. The men and trucks met the flight on the runway and saw no sign of fire. They followed us to the gate and inspected the aircraft. Later we were told a hydraulic leak was discovered. This was the source of the problem most likely. I would like to add I felt my crew did a great job in helping the people and doing their duties. A change of equipment was done and we arrived dfw 3 hours late. My biggest concern is we lost several passenger on the later flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING INTERMEDIATE CLB, FLT ATTENDANT RPTED SMOKE FUMES IN CABIN. THE FLC CONFIRMED THE RPT, DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: ON DEP AT 7500 FT FLT ATTENDANTS NOTIFIED COCKPIT OF SMOKE AND FUMES IN THE CABIN. WE CONFIRMED THIS VISUALLY. WE SAW MODERATE SMOKE IN THE CABIN. LATER WE SMELLED FUMES. WE COULD NOT IDENT SOURCE. WE DECLARED AN EMER REQUESTING TO RETURN TO ONT FOR LNDG. FLT ATTENDANTS BRIEFED FOR EMER LNDG. WE COMPLETED THE SMOKE AND FUMES CHKLIST ON THE HARD CARD. WE THEN LANDED AT 138000 LBS. UPON LNDG THE SMOKE HAD CLRED SO WE TAXIED TO THE GATE REQUESTING THAT THE PAX DEPLANE AND NOT TAKE ANYTHING WITH THEM. THE MEN AND TRUCKS MET THE FLT ON THE RWY AND SAW NO SIGN OF FIRE. THEY FOLLOWED US TO THE GATE AND INSPECTED THE ACFT. LATER WE WERE TOLD A HYD LEAK WAS DISCOVERED. THIS WAS THE SOURCE OF THE PROB MOST LIKELY. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD I FELT MY CREW DID A GREAT JOB IN HELPING THE PEOPLE AND DOING THEIR DUTIES. A CHANGE OF EQUIP WAS DONE AND WE ARRIVED DFW 3 HRS LATE. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS WE LOST SEVERAL PAX ON THE LATER FLT.

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.