Narrative:

We took off on runway 25R ZZZ1 at XA19. Shortly after 500 ft AGL; both the captain and I smelled what appeared to be a very strong electrical burning odor. The captain continued the climb/departure while I looked for any evidence of fire. There were no ECAM displays depicting any problems; nor did a review of the system pages reveal any abnormal indications. At no time during the flight did either I or the captain see any sign of smoke. In the meantime; the captain continued the departure while climbing to 14000 ft. After TRACON turned us over to center; I advised them we were working a mechanical issue and requested to remain at 14000 ft and our present airspeed of 280 KIAS. The captain and I discussed the possibilities and decided our best course of action was to declare an emergency and return to ZZZ1. I advised center of this. The captain slowed the aircraft to 230 KIAS while I sent ACARS messages to dispatch; maintenance; and operations advising them of our situation and of our decision to return to ZZZ1. I then reviewed the overweight landing checklist with the captain while he flew the arrival. The captain loaded the approach and landing runway while I finished up answering additional messages to both dispatch and maintenance and coordination for emergency vehicles to meet us after we landed and cleared the runway. The remainder of the approach and landing was uneventful except shortly after the landing gear was lowered; another strong whiff of the burning odor filled the cockpit. The captain touched down the 144000 pound aircraft at approximately -200 FPM on speed at XA50Z and used reverse thrust down to 80 KTS before applying the brakes. We cleared the runway; crossed runway 25R and stopped while the crash fire rescue equipment crew circled the aircraft looking for any abnormalities. None were found.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 CREW EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. AN EMER WAS DECLARED FOLLOWED BY A RETURN TO DEP POINT AND AN EMER LNDG.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF ON RWY 25R ZZZ1 AT XA19. SHORTLY AFTER 500 FT AGL; BOTH THE CAPT AND I SMELLED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A VERY STRONG ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR. THE CAPT CONTINUED THE CLB/DEP WHILE I LOOKED FOR ANY EVIDENCE OF FIRE. THERE WERE NO ECAM DISPLAYS DEPICTING ANY PROBS; NOR DID A REVIEW OF THE SYS PAGES REVEAL ANY ABNORMAL INDICATIONS. AT NO TIME DURING THE FLT DID EITHER I OR THE CAPT SEE ANY SIGN OF SMOKE. IN THE MEANTIME; THE CAPT CONTINUED THE DEP WHILE CLBING TO 14000 FT. AFTER TRACON TURNED US OVER TO CTR; I ADVISED THEM WE WERE WORKING A MECHANICAL ISSUE AND REQUESTED TO REMAIN AT 14000 FT AND OUR PRESENT AIRSPD OF 280 KIAS. THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITIES AND DECIDED OUR BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO DECLARE AN EMER AND RETURN TO ZZZ1. I ADVISED CTR OF THIS. THE CAPT SLOWED THE ACFT TO 230 KIAS WHILE I SENT ACARS MESSAGES TO DISPATCH; MAINT; AND OPS ADVISING THEM OF OUR SIT AND OF OUR DECISION TO RETURN TO ZZZ1. I THEN REVIEWED THE OVERWT LNDG CHKLIST WITH THE CAPT WHILE HE FLEW THE ARR. THE CAPT LOADED THE APCH AND LNDG RWY WHILE I FINISHED UP ANSWERING ADDITIONAL MESSAGES TO BOTH DISPATCH AND MAINT AND COORD FOR EMER VEHICLES TO MEET US AFTER WE LANDED AND CLRED THE RWY. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL EXCEPT SHORTLY AFTER THE LNDG GEAR WAS LOWERED; ANOTHER STRONG WHIFF OF THE BURNING ODOR FILLED THE COCKPIT. THE CAPT TOUCHED DOWN THE 144000 LB ACFT AT APPROX -200 FPM ON SPD AT XA50Z AND USED REVERSE THRUST DOWN TO 80 KTS BEFORE APPLYING THE BRAKES. WE CLRED THE RWY; CROSSED RWY 25R AND STOPPED WHILE THE CFR CREW CIRCLED THE ACFT LOOKING FOR ANY ABNORMALITIES. NONE WERE FOUND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.