An MD80 crew, while taxiing to the gate at den, experienced smoke in the cabin.

Attributes
ACN	552706
Time
Date	200207
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
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	552706
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	552713
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event other other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : fa 3
Resolutory Action	aircraft : evacuated other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During taxi in after APU start and just prior to turning in to the gate, flight attendant called with smoke in cabin. I asked if there was a fire or excessive heat and she said no. I turned off both packs, APU air, and recirculation fan. Smoke was not getting any worse. I had first officer open cockpit door to visually check amount of smoke. We could see all the way to the back with smoke in cabin. During this, I continued to approach gate with wing walkers but no guide man. Agent was on bridge. Agent opened front door and I had ground crew lower aft stairs. After left engine shut down, I had flight attendant disarm aft galley door and open it to help clear smoke. Outbound captain on jetbridge went on ramp and up aft stairs to assist if needed. A couple of passenger may have exited down aft stairs and were escorted up jetbridge by ground personnel. The rest exited normally through front entry door. No injuries or complaints from passenger to me while exiting. Maintenance found hydraulic fluid in aircraft system from hydraulic leak from reverser. From time of first call from flight attendant to arrival at gate approximately 1 min. Supplemental information from acn 552713: since we were already near the gate, the captain rightly in my opinion, decided to head expeditiously for the gate. As the smoke had thickened, several passenger deplaned via the aft door.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW, WHILE TAXIING TO THE GATE AT DEN, EXPERIENCED SMOKE IN THE CABIN.

Narrative: DURING TAXI IN AFTER APU START AND JUST PRIOR TO TURNING IN TO THE GATE, FLT ATTENDANT CALLED WITH SMOKE IN CABIN. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A FIRE OR EXCESSIVE HEAT AND SHE SAID NO. I TURNED OFF BOTH PACKS, APU AIR, AND RECIRCULATION FAN. SMOKE WAS NOT GETTING ANY WORSE. I HAD FO OPEN COCKPIT DOOR TO VISUALLY CHK AMOUNT OF SMOKE. WE COULD SEE ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK WITH SMOKE IN CABIN. DURING THIS, I CONTINUED TO APCH GATE WITH WING WALKERS BUT NO GUIDE MAN. AGENT WAS ON BRIDGE. AGENT OPENED FRONT DOOR AND I HAD GND CREW LOWER AFT STAIRS. AFTER L ENG SHUT DOWN, I HAD FLT ATTENDANT DISARM AFT GALLEY DOOR AND OPEN IT TO HELP CLR SMOKE. OUTBOUND CAPT ON JETBRIDGE WENT ON RAMP AND UP AFT STAIRS TO ASSIST IF NEEDED. A COUPLE OF PAX MAY HAVE EXITED DOWN AFT STAIRS AND WERE ESCORTED UP JETBRIDGE BY GND PERSONNEL. THE REST EXITED NORMALLY THROUGH FRONT ENTRY DOOR. NO INJURIES OR COMPLAINTS FROM PAX TO ME WHILE EXITING. MAINT FOUND HYD FLUID IN ACFT SYS FROM HYD LEAK FROM REVERSER. FROM TIME OF FIRST CALL FROM FLT ATTENDANT TO ARR AT GATE APPROX 1 MIN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 552713: SINCE WE WERE ALREADY NEAR THE GATE, THE CAPT RIGHTLY IN MY OPINION, DECIDED TO HEAD EXPEDITIOUSLY FOR THE GATE. AS THE SMOKE HAD THICKENED, SEVERAL PAX DEPLANED VIA THE AFT DOOR.

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.