MD80 flight attendant noted fumes in the cabin after takeoff at stl.

Attributes
ACN	581393
Time
Date	200305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MD
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : t75.tracon tower : stl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	581393
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

This was a ferry flight with flight attendant to cvg to pick up a professional sports team. Shortly after departure the flight attendants notified us that they smelled a strong odor in cabin. Shortly after this we smelled the odor in cockpit. The flight attendants were not sure what the odor was or where it was coming from. The first officer was flying. I immediately turned off the galley power and selected hp bleed 'off' on right pack. The flight attendant indicated the odor was dissipating rapidly. The first officer and I were discussing the situation when the flight attendant again called and said the odor was coming back. Again shortly after this we smelled it in the cockpit but could not define from where or what type of odor. We elected to immediately return to stl, about 80 mi. I also turned off the right pack and again the flight attendant said the odor was dissipating. Due to the unknown nature of the odor and the WX delays, about 30 mins, I elected to declare an emergency and received priority handling. The odor dissipated in the cockpit but the flight attendant said they could still smell the odor. I did review the emergency section on air and electric but did not feel they directly applied to my situation at this point. By this time we were below 10000 ft and I did depressurize at about 6000 ft. We landed and taxied into gate without further incident. Emergency equipment met the aircraft and followed us to gate. Dispatch and chief pilot were contacted after landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT ATTENDANT NOTED FUMES IN THE CABIN AFTER TKOF AT STL.

Narrative: THIS WAS A FERRY FLT WITH FLT ATTENDANT TO CVG TO PICK UP A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM. SHORTLY AFTER DEP THE FLT ATTENDANTS NOTIFIED US THAT THEY SMELLED A STRONG ODOR IN CABIN. SHORTLY AFTER THIS WE SMELLED THE ODOR IN COCKPIT. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOT SURE WHAT THE ODOR WAS OR WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. THE FO WAS FLYING. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE GALLEY PWR AND SELECTED HP BLEED 'OFF' ON R PACK. THE FLT ATTENDANT INDICATED THE ODOR WAS DISSIPATING RAPIDLY. THE FO AND I WERE DISCUSSING THE SIT WHEN THE FLT ATTENDANT AGAIN CALLED AND SAID THE ODOR WAS COMING BACK. AGAIN SHORTLY AFTER THIS WE SMELLED IT IN THE COCKPIT BUT COULD NOT DEFINE FROM WHERE OR WHAT TYPE OF ODOR. WE ELECTED TO IMMEDIATELY RETURN TO STL, ABOUT 80 MI. I ALSO TURNED OFF THE R PACK AND AGAIN THE FLT ATTENDANT SAID THE ODOR WAS DISSIPATING. DUE TO THE UNKNOWN NATURE OF THE ODOR AND THE WX DELAYS, ABOUT 30 MINS, I ELECTED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND RECEIVED PRIORITY HANDLING. THE ODOR DISSIPATED IN THE COCKPIT BUT THE FLT ATTENDANT SAID THEY COULD STILL SMELL THE ODOR. I DID REVIEW THE EMER SECTION ON AIR AND ELECTRIC BUT DID NOT FEEL THEY DIRECTLY APPLIED TO MY SIT AT THIS POINT. BY THIS TIME WE WERE BELOW 10000 FT AND I DID DEPRESSURIZE AT ABOUT 6000 FT. WE LANDED AND TAXIED INTO GATE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. EMER EQUIP MET THE ACFT AND FOLLOWED US TO GATE. DISPATCH AND CHIEF PLT WERE CONTACTED AFTER LNDG.

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.