Narrative:

During climb out at approximately 2700-2800 ft, the 'a' flight attendant informed us that the passenger complained about extreme heat on the sidewall next to his seat, which she confirmed. While she was in the cockpit talking with us, the 'B' flight attendant informed us of an odor like something overheating. We confirmed the smell with cockpit door open. There was no indication of smoke or fire and all cockpit indications were normal. At this time we informed ATC of the problem and requested a lower altitude and vectors for the nearest airport, and an emergency was declared. Throughout the descent we continued to update the condition in the cabin and run abnormal and normal checklists. When it became clear that the smell dissipated and there was no smoke or fire, we decided not to evacuate/evacuation the aircraft once on the ground. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the overheated sidewall panel was caused by a separated cold air duct just before the right pack mixing chamber allowing hot air to enter the chamber and the right sidewall ducts.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 IN CLBOUT AT FL280 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO PAX RPT OF CABIN R SIDEWALL PANEL OVERHEATED.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT AT APPROX 2700-2800 FT, THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED US THAT THE PAX COMPLAINED ABOUT EXTREME HEAT ON THE SIDEWALL NEXT TO HIS SEAT, WHICH SHE CONFIRMED. WHILE SHE WAS IN THE COCKPIT TALKING WITH US, THE 'B' FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED US OF AN ODOR LIKE SOMETHING OVERHEATING. WE CONFIRMED THE SMELL WITH COCKPIT DOOR OPEN. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF SMOKE OR FIRE AND ALL COCKPIT INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. AT THIS TIME WE INFORMED ATC OF THE PROB AND REQUESTED A LOWER ALT AND VECTORS FOR THE NEAREST ARPT, AND AN EMER WAS DECLARED. THROUGHOUT THE DSCNT WE CONTINUED TO UPDATE THE CONDITION IN THE CABIN AND RUN ABNORMAL AND NORMAL CHKLISTS. WHEN IT BECAME CLR THAT THE SMELL DISSIPATED AND THERE WAS NO SMOKE OR FIRE, WE DECIDED NOT TO EVAC THE ACFT ONCE ON THE GND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE OVERHEATED SIDEWALL PANEL WAS CAUSED BY A SEPARATED COLD AIR DUCT JUST BEFORE THE R PACK MIXING CHAMBER ALLOWING HOT AIR TO ENTER THE CHAMBER AND THE R SIDEWALL DUCTS.

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.