A B733 crew, departing bos, experienced smoke in the cabin, returned to bos.

Attributes
ACN	538073
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 76 flight time total : 13074 flight time type : 2112
ASRS Report	538073
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness cabin event other other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : fa 3
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Just after departure during initial climb out flight attendants called to report smoke in the cabin. We immediately requested a return to land at boston and declared an emergency. We started the air condition smoke checklist, but were not able to complete it due to the short duration of the flight and trying to get all the normal checklist accomplished. (Total flight time was 12 mins.) we were vectored for an ILS runway 4R bos and broke out visual and were cleared for a visual approach to land on runway 4R. While deplaning passenger, one of the passenger had a seizure. Medical personnel were called and passenger was able to walk off the plane. The crew got together for a debrief after all the passenger were off the plane. While the crew was debriefing an FAA inspector showed up and listened to a portion of the debrief. When we were finished, I asked if he needed any more information and he only needed my license information.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B733 CREW, DEPARTING BOS, EXPERIENCED SMOKE IN THE CABIN, RETURNED TO BOS.

Narrative: JUST AFTER DEP DURING INITIAL CLBOUT FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED TO RPT SMOKE IN THE CABIN. WE IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED A RETURN TO LAND AT BOSTON AND DECLARED AN EMER. WE STARTED THE AIR CONDITION SMOKE CHKLIST, BUT WERE NOT ABLE TO COMPLETE IT DUE TO THE SHORT DURATION OF THE FLT AND TRYING TO GET ALL THE NORMAL CHKLIST ACCOMPLISHED. (TOTAL FLT TIME WAS 12 MINS.) WE WERE VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 4R BOS AND BROKE OUT VISUAL AND WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO LAND ON RWY 4R. WHILE DEPLANING PAX, ONE OF THE PAX HAD A SEIZURE. MEDICAL PERSONNEL WERE CALLED AND PAX WAS ABLE TO WALK OFF THE PLANE. THE CREW GOT TOGETHER FOR A DEBRIEF AFTER ALL THE PAX WERE OFF THE PLANE. WHILE THE CREW WAS DEBRIEFING AN FAA INSPECTOR SHOWED UP AND LISTENED TO A PORTION OF THE DEBRIEF. WHEN WE WERE FINISHED, I ASKED IF HE NEEDED ANY MORE INFO AND HE ONLY NEEDED MY LICENSE INFO.

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.