An erj passenger service light malfunctions with a burning smell that goes away when turned off.

Attributes
ACN	581419
Time
Date	200305
Day	Fri
Place
State Reference	VA
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Embraer Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	581419
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

En route near harcum VOR, crew noticed odor similar to electrical burning. During investigation for source. Flight attendant reported a reading light at runway 12C was flickering on and off without being selected. Additionally that at the emergency exit row the odor was very strong. The odor was intermittent until the light switch at row 12C was selected off. The odor subsuded and no further indication was present. The crew considered diversion to either orf or ric. Both orf and ric were reporting a thunderstorm and the nearby WX displayed on the aircraft's radar as a potential threat. The crew agreed the immediate threat of fire and smoke was not an issue and the flight proceeded to the destination -- nearest suitable airport -- without further incident. Notified maintenance at rdu, welcomed aircraft arrival. No damage, no injuries. The flight crew per the 'FM-1' and operating manual handled the event as a mechanical irregularity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ERJ PAX SVC LIGHT MALFUNCTIONS WITH A BURNING SMELL THAT GOES AWAY WHEN TURNED OFF.

Narrative: ENRTE NEAR HARCUM VOR, CREW NOTICED ODOR SIMILAR TO ELECTRICAL BURNING. DURING INVESTIGATION FOR SOURCE. FLT ATTENDANT RPTED A READING LIGHT AT RWY 12C WAS FLICKERING ON AND OFF WITHOUT BEING SELECTED. ADDITIONALLY THAT AT THE EMER EXIT ROW THE ODOR WAS VERY STRONG. THE ODOR WAS INTERMITTENT UNTIL THE LIGHT SWITCH AT ROW 12C WAS SELECTED OFF. THE ODOR SUBSUDED AND NO FURTHER INDICATION WAS PRESENT. THE CREW CONSIDERED DIVERSION TO EITHER ORF OR RIC. BOTH ORF AND RIC WERE RPTING A THUNDERSTORM AND THE NEARBY WX DISPLAYED ON THE ACFT'S RADAR AS A POTENTIAL THREAT. THE CREW AGREED THE IMMEDIATE THREAT OF FIRE AND SMOKE WAS NOT AN ISSUE AND THE FLT PROCEEDED TO THE DEST -- NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT -- WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. NOTIFIED MAINT AT RDU, WELCOMED ACFT ARR. NO DAMAGE, NO INJURIES. THE FLT CREW PER THE 'FM-1' AND OPERATING MANUAL HANDLED THE EVENT AS A MECHANICAL IRREGULARITY.

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.