A B757-200 captain reported diverting to hnl after detecting an electrical smell in ZHN's airspace.

Attributes
ACN	600180
Time
Date	200311
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : bitta
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhn.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	600180
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : diverted to alternate flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Both the first officer and I noticed the smell of smoke we felt was electrical. Ran qrc 'smoke, fumes, odor' checklist. Went to 8-16 emergency checklist as directed. I called purser and he said he had just noticed the smell as well and had turned off cabin side wall lights. No visual smoke reported. Odor was not strong or overpwring. Completed 8-16 checklist to point that directed us to irregular checklist 7-8 and followed 'if smoke source can not be idented' and completed those items. Within a couple of mins, smell was gone in cockpit and cabin reported also it had gone away. I gave purser a 'cabin advisory.' I requested purser assess again and report on full cabin. No odor detectable on aircraft. Advised dispatch. Cause was determined to be one of the deactivated items during the checklists but exact source was unknown. Decided to go to hnl (closest airport). VFR conditions and approachs. Dispatch amended destination and arranged all ground notifications. Scanned 'pilot diversion guide.' did not declare emergency. ATC promptly vectored us to airport and approach without any delays. Advised ATC normal operations, no assistance required and planning to taxi to gate. Normal landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 CAPT RPTED DIVERTING TO HNL AFTER DETECTING AN ELECTRICAL SMELL IN ZHN'S AIRSPACE.

Narrative: BOTH THE FO AND I NOTICED THE SMELL OF SMOKE WE FELT WAS ELECTRICAL. RAN QRC 'SMOKE, FUMES, ODOR' CHKLIST. WENT TO 8-16 EMER CHKLIST AS DIRECTED. I CALLED PURSER AND HE SAID HE HAD JUST NOTICED THE SMELL AS WELL AND HAD TURNED OFF CABIN SIDE WALL LIGHTS. NO VISUAL SMOKE RPTED. ODOR WAS NOT STRONG OR OVERPWRING. COMPLETED 8-16 CHKLIST TO POINT THAT DIRECTED US TO IRREGULAR CHKLIST 7-8 AND FOLLOWED 'IF SMOKE SOURCE CAN NOT BE IDENTED' AND COMPLETED THOSE ITEMS. WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINS, SMELL WAS GONE IN COCKPIT AND CABIN RPTED ALSO IT HAD GONE AWAY. I GAVE PURSER A 'CABIN ADVISORY.' I REQUESTED PURSER ASSESS AGAIN AND RPT ON FULL CABIN. NO ODOR DETECTABLE ON ACFT. ADVISED DISPATCH. CAUSE WAS DETERMINED TO BE ONE OF THE DEACTIVATED ITEMS DURING THE CHKLISTS BUT EXACT SOURCE WAS UNKNOWN. DECIDED TO GO TO HNL (CLOSEST ARPT). VFR CONDITIONS AND APCHS. DISPATCH AMENDED DEST AND ARRANGED ALL GND NOTIFICATIONS. SCANNED 'PLT DIVERSION GUIDE.' DID NOT DECLARE EMER. ATC PROMPTLY VECTORED US TO ARPT AND APCH WITHOUT ANY DELAYS. ADVISED ATC NORMAL OPS, NO ASSISTANCE REQUIRED AND PLANNING TO TAXI TO GATE. NORMAL 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.