DO328 crew has smoke, fog in the cabin on descent into bna.

Attributes
ACN	547000
Time
Date	200205
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl single value : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Do 328 TP (Turboprop)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4950 flight time type : 850
ASRS Report	547000
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 2
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

In descent and leveling off at FL200, the first officer said he smelt smoke. I (captain) did not smell smoke, but observed a light haze/fog in the cockpit. We called the flight attendant and she reported a fog in the forward cabin. Both pilots donned oxygen masks, declared an emergency with ZID and initiated emergency procedures per company requirements. All emergency checklists (applicable checklists) were completed prior to level off at 10000 ft MSL. At 10000 ft the haze/fog did not increase or appear to decrease. We notified center that the problem was stable and did not foresee a problem continuing to bna. We continued to descend to 4000 ft and remained on oxygen for the duration of the flight. We arrived at bna aprox 15 to 18 min after declaring the emergency. Crash fire rescue equipment met us at the taxiway and observed no smoke or fire. We taxied to the gate and deplaned normally. I believe the haze was caused by condensation from the aircraft packs. At no time did the haze/fog smell of an electric or oil source. I believe the haze/fog dissipated due to temperature change. The decision to continue to bna was a crew decision. There were numerous airports en route to bna, but, given that the source of haze/fog was not electric or oil in nature, we decided to continue. We had crash fire rescue equipment available, if needed, had the situation worsened. If the source was electric/oil we could have landed a few mins earlier. After landing, the aircraft was inspected and mx could not duplicate problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DO328 CREW HAS SMOKE, FOG IN THE CABIN ON DSCNT INTO BNA.

Narrative: IN DSCNT AND LEVELING OFF AT FL200, THE FO SAID HE SMELT SMOKE. I (CAPT) DID NOT SMELL SMOKE, BUT OBSERVED A LIGHT HAZE/FOG IN THE COCKPIT. WE CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANT AND SHE RPTED A FOG IN THE FORWARD CABIN. BOTH PLTS DONNED OXYGEN MASKS, DECLARED AN EMER WITH ZID AND INITIATED EMER PROCS PER COMPANY REQUIREMENTS. ALL EMER CHKLISTS (APPLICABLE CHKLISTS) WERE COMPLETED PRIOR TO LEVEL OFF AT 10000 FT MSL. AT 10000 FT THE HAZE/FOG DID NOT INCREASE OR APPEAR TO DECREASE. WE NOTIFIED CTR THAT THE PROB WAS STABLE AND DID NOT FORESEE A PROB CONTINUING TO BNA. WE CONTINUED TO DESCEND TO 4000 FT AND REMAINED ON OXYGEN FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLT. WE ARRIVED AT BNA APROX 15 TO 18 MIN AFTER DECLARING THE EMER. CFR MET US AT THE TXWY AND OBSERVED NO SMOKE OR FIRE. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE AND DEPLANED NORMALLY. I BELIEVE THE HAZE WAS CAUSED BY CONDENSATION FROM THE ACFT PACKS. AT NO TIME DID THE HAZE/FOG SMELL OF AN ELECTRIC OR OIL SOURCE. I BELIEVE THE HAZE/FOG DISSIPATED DUE TO TEMPERATURE CHANGE. THE DECISION TO CONTINUE TO BNA WAS A CREW DECISION. THERE WERE NUMEROUS ARPTS ENRTE TO BNA, BUT, GIVEN THAT THE SOURCE OF HAZE/FOG WAS NOT ELECTRIC OR OIL IN NATURE, WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE. WE HAD CFR AVAILABLE, IF NEEDED, HAD THE SIT WORSENED. IF THE SOURCE WAS ELECTRIC/OIL WE COULD HAVE LANDED A FEW MINS EARLIER. AFTER LNDG, THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED AND MX COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROB.

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.