Smoke in the cockpit during initial taxi.

Attributes
ACN	535050
Time
Date	200201
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp.airport
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	535050
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

First officer IOE, his second leg. Pushed off gate X msp. Started both engines. Anti ice on, began taxi. As we turned 90 degrees from the gate, I noticed an electrical smell. It became stronger as I looked X cockpit to the first officer to realize that we had a hazy white smoke beginning to fill the cockpit. I told the first officer to tell ground control we were returning immediately to gate. I started a hard left turn, told the first officer to call msp operations and informs we were coming back to gate immediately -- some 30 yards ahead. As we turned onto the lead-in line, I shut down #2 engine, made a PA to the flight attendant to remain seated and for the passenger to stay seated for further instructions. The ground personnel were running out to park us with an agent coming down the jetbridge. We accomplished a normal engine shutdown. The aircraft had a series of write-ups for APU with low pressure. It was evident to me that this smoke was likely to be coming from the #1 pack. Maintenance confirmed this in their troubleshooting. Placarded #1 pack and continued msp personnel were superb in their response (less than 30 seconds from our call to get a full complement of ground crews) and subsequent handling of the situation. Smell also occurred aft of window exits.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT DURING INITIAL TAXI.

Narrative: FO IOE, HIS SECOND LEG. PUSHED OFF GATE X MSP. STARTED BOTH ENGS. ANTI ICE ON, BEGAN TAXI. AS WE TURNED 90 DEGS FROM THE GATE, I NOTICED AN ELECTRICAL SMELL. IT BECAME STRONGER AS I LOOKED X COCKPIT TO THE FO TO REALIZE THAT WE HAD A HAZY WHITE SMOKE BEGINNING TO FILL THE COCKPIT. I TOLD THE FO TO TELL GND CTL WE WERE RETURNING IMMEDIATELY TO GATE. I STARTED A HARD L TURN, TOLD THE FO TO CALL MSP OPS AND INFORMS WE WERE COMING BACK TO GATE IMMEDIATELY -- SOME 30 YARDS AHEAD. AS WE TURNED ONTO THE LEAD-IN LINE, I SHUT DOWN #2 ENG, MADE A PA TO THE FLT ATTENDANT TO REMAIN SEATED AND FOR THE PAX TO STAY SEATED FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. THE GND PERSONNEL WERE RUNNING OUT TO PARK US WITH AN AGENT COMING DOWN THE JETBRIDGE. WE ACCOMPLISHED A NORMAL ENG SHUTDOWN. THE ACFT HAD A SERIES OF WRITE-UPS FOR APU WITH LOW PRESSURE. IT WAS EVIDENT TO ME THAT THIS SMOKE WAS LIKELY TO BE COMING FROM THE #1 PACK. MAINT CONFIRMED THIS IN THEIR TROUBLESHOOTING. PLACARDED #1 PACK AND CONTINUED MSP PERSONNEL WERE SUPERB IN THEIR RESPONSE (LESS THAN 30 SECONDS FROM OUR CALL TO GET A FULL COMPLEMENT OF GND CREWS) AND SUBSEQUENT HANDLING OF THE SIT. SMELL ALSO OCCURRED AFT OF WINDOW EXITS.

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.