Narrative:

During climbout from ZZZ at 1500 ft MSL, cabin crew reported smoke in the cabin accompanied by strong odor. The odor was noted in the cockpit as well. We donned oxygen masks (full face) immediately. First officer was PF and I delegated ATC communications to him at that time while I continued to discuss the situation with the flight attendant's. No concrete source of the smoke or smell was evident, and although the situation did not appear to be deteriorating badly, we declared an emergency and returned to ZZZ. All necessary checklists were accomplished and landing was accomplished without incident. Emergency vehicles responded and found no external problems with the aircraft. Upon subsequent inspection, maintenance discovered burned wiring and a burnt lighting (overhead) fixture which was the likely cause of the problem. Crew performance was excellent. Due to the design of the full face oxygen mask interphone setup, we experienced a few seconds of difficulty establishing communications, but were successful eventually. We suspect that since there is no oxy/boom switch on this model mask, the internal switch connected to the mask compartment door wasn't fully engaged. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the source of the smoke and fumes was an overhead cabin light fixture at row 10 with burned internal and external wiring. The reporter said the cabin overhead lighting circuit breakers did not trip during this event. The reporter stated some trouble was encountered with the full face oxygen masks in using the interphone caused by the mask compartment door switch.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 ON INITIAL CLB AT 15000 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO SMOKE AND FUMES CAUSED BY A FAILED OVERHEAD CABIN LIGHT FIXTURE.

Narrative: DURING CLIMBOUT FROM ZZZ AT 1500 FT MSL, CABIN CREW RPTED SMOKE IN THE CABIN ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG ODOR. THE ODOR WAS NOTED IN THE COCKPIT AS WELL. WE DONNED OXYGEN MASKS (FULL FACE) IMMEDIATELY. FO WAS PF AND I DELEGATED ATC COMS TO HIM AT THAT TIME WHILE I CONTINUED TO DISCUSS THE SIT WITH THE FA'S. NO CONCRETE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE OR SMELL WAS EVIDENT, AND ALTHOUGH THE SIT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE DETERIORATING BADLY, WE DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO ZZZ. ALL NECESSARY CHKLISTS WERE ACCOMPLISHED AND LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. EMER VEHICLES RESPONDED AND FOUND NO EXTERNAL PROBS WITH THE ACFT. UPON SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION, MAINT DISCOVERED BURNED WIRING AND A BURNT LIGHTING (OVERHEAD) FIXTURE WHICH WAS THE LIKELY CAUSE OF THE PROB. CREW PERFORMANCE WAS EXCELLENT. DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE FULL FACE OXYGEN MASK INTERPHONE SETUP, WE EXPERIENCED A FEW SECS OF DIFFICULTY ESTABLISHING COMS, BUT WERE SUCCESSFUL EVENTUALLY. WE SUSPECT THAT SINCE THERE IS NO OXY/BOOM SWITCH ON THIS MODEL MASK, THE INTERNAL SWITCH CONNECTED TO THE MASK COMPARTMENT DOOR WASN'T FULLY ENGAGED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE AND FUMES WAS AN OVERHEAD CABIN LIGHT FIXTURE AT ROW 10 WITH BURNED INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL WIRING. THE RPTR SAID THE CABIN OVERHEAD LIGHTING CIRCUIT BREAKERS DID NOT TRIP DURING THIS EVENT. THE RPTR STATED SOME TROUBLE WAS ENCOUNTERED WITH THE FULL FACE OXYGEN MASKS IN USING THE INTERPHONE CAUSED BY THE MASK COMPARTMENT DOOR SWITCH.

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.