Narrative:

After reaching FL350, the captain and I began to smell an unusual odor and immediately we received 4 chimes from the cabin. The captain answered and was informed that there were fumes in the cabin that were causing eye and throat irritation to the passenger and cabin crew. Emergency procedure was commenced and the captain took control of flying the aircraft and began a descent. After several more reports from the cabin of fumes, the oxygen was deployed in accordance with the emergency procedure. An emergency was declared and we began a divert to bna. During the divert to bna, speed was maintained at 320 KTS until approximately 2000 ft and until necessary to slow for landing confign. Aircraft was landed, checked by crash fire rescue equipment and then taxied to the gate, at which time the people were asked to depart the aircraft via the jetbridge. Supplemental information from acn 617988: an emergency was declared with ZME at this time for further descent and diversion to nashville for landing. The aircraft was stopped on the runway and emergency equipment visually inspected the aircraft. The cargo compartments were also visually inspected at this time with nothing abnormal reported. The passenger and crew deplaned the aircraft while maintenance quickly boarded and then deplaned after also noting an unidented smell. The flight attendants reported burning in their throats and were sent to the hospital at this time. The aircraft was turned over to maintenance at this time for further investigation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DIVERSION TO ANOTHER ARPT AFTER MD80 FLT CREW DECLARES AN EMER FOR FUMES IN CABIN AT FL350, MAKING HIGH SPD APCH TO BNA, TN.

Narrative: AFTER REACHING FL350, THE CAPT AND I BEGAN TO SMELL AN UNUSUAL ODOR AND IMMEDIATELY WE RECEIVED 4 CHIMES FROM THE CABIN. THE CAPT ANSWERED AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE FUMES IN THE CABIN THAT WERE CAUSING EYE AND THROAT IRRITATION TO THE PAX AND CABIN CREW. EMER PROC WAS COMMENCED AND THE CAPT TOOK CTL OF FLYING THE ACFT AND BEGAN A DSCNT. AFTER SEVERAL MORE RPTS FROM THE CABIN OF FUMES, THE OXYGEN WAS DEPLOYED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EMER PROC. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND WE BEGAN A DIVERT TO BNA. DURING THE DIVERT TO BNA, SPD WAS MAINTAINED AT 320 KTS UNTIL APPROX 2000 FT AND UNTIL NECESSARY TO SLOW FOR LNDG CONFIGN. ACFT WAS LANDED, CHKED BY CFR AND THEN TAXIED TO THE GATE, AT WHICH TIME THE PEOPLE WERE ASKED TO DEPART THE ACFT VIA THE JETBRIDGE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 617988: AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH ZME AT THIS TIME FOR FURTHER DSCNT AND DIVERSION TO NASHVILLE FOR LNDG. THE ACFT WAS STOPPED ON THE RWY AND EMER EQUIP VISUALLY INSPECTED THE ACFT. THE CARGO COMPARTMENTS WERE ALSO VISUALLY INSPECTED AT THIS TIME WITH NOTHING ABNORMAL RPTED. THE PAX AND CREW DEPLANED THE ACFT WHILE MAINT QUICKLY BOARDED AND THEN DEPLANED AFTER ALSO NOTING AN UNIDENTED SMELL. THE FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED BURNING IN THEIR THROATS AND WERE SENT TO THE HOSPITAL AT THIS TIME. THE ACFT WAS TURNED OVER TO MAINT AT THIS TIME FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

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.