MD80 flight attendant noted a smoky haze in the cabin after takeoff at sjc.

Attributes
ACN	581132
Time
Date	200305
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon tower : sjc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 4
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 31 flight attendant time total : 31 flight attendant time type : 90
ASRS Report	581132
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff, interphone rang. I picked it up and heard #2 flight attendant, who was seated at aft jump seat, ask the #1 flight attendant if, 'the cabin is smoking or is it just me?' flight attendant #1 answered, that she could see haze in the cabin also. I took off my seat belt and turned around to see the cabin in haze and could smell what seemed like burning oil. The cabin was getting progressively hazier. The captain called back and said we were returning to sjc and asked if it was getting any clrer in the cabin, to which I replied, 'no, it's getting worse.' the airplane turned and was returning to sjc. About 2 or 3 mins later, the haze started to dissipate. The captain called again to find out how cabin conditions were and the #1 flight attendant told him that the smoke/haze had dissipated. We returned to sjc, passenger deplaned and aircraft was taken OTS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT ATTENDANT NOTED A SMOKY HAZE IN THE CABIN AFTER TKOF AT SJC.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, INTERPHONE RANG. I PICKED IT UP AND HEARD #2 FLT ATTENDANT, WHO WAS SEATED AT AFT JUMP SEAT, ASK THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT IF, 'THE CABIN IS SMOKING OR IS IT JUST ME?' FLT ATTENDANT #1 ANSWERED, THAT SHE COULD SEE HAZE IN THE CABIN ALSO. I TOOK OFF MY SEAT BELT AND TURNED AROUND TO SEE THE CABIN IN HAZE AND COULD SMELL WHAT SEEMED LIKE BURNING OIL. THE CABIN WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY HAZIER. THE CAPT CALLED BACK AND SAID WE WERE RETURNING TO SJC AND ASKED IF IT WAS GETTING ANY CLRER IN THE CABIN, TO WHICH I REPLIED, 'NO, IT'S GETTING WORSE.' THE AIRPLANE TURNED AND WAS RETURNING TO SJC. ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINS LATER, THE HAZE STARTED TO DISSIPATE. THE CAPT CALLED AGAIN TO FIND OUT HOW CABIN CONDITIONS WERE AND THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT TOLD HIM THAT THE SMOKE/HAZE HAD DISSIPATED. WE RETURNED TO SJC, PAX DEPLANED AND ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS.

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.