Narrative:

After takeoff; at approximately FL210; we began smelling a strong odor similar to a sulfur smell. Flight attendants informed me they also smelled it. Passenger were also very aware of the odor. When smell persisted; I declared an emergency and was cleared back to ZZZ where we landed without incident. The smell began to dissipate on approach. Emergency vehicles met the aircraft and checked for any smoke; fire and heat. They found nothing abnormal and I taxied to the gate and deplaned. I did declare an emergency and used my emergency authority/authorized to exceed 250 KTS below 10000 ft in order to expedite our arrival back to the field. Supplemental information from acn 670049: the flight attendants advised that they noticed the smell and possible smoke also. We donned our oxygen masks; declared an emergency; executed the emergency procedures; and returned to land.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 FLT CREW EXPERIENCES STRONG SULFUR SMELL DURING CLB THROUGH FL200. DECLARE EMER AND RETURN TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF; AT APPROX FL210; WE BEGAN SMELLING A STRONG ODOR SIMILAR TO A SULFUR SMELL. FLT ATTENDANTS INFORMED ME THEY ALSO SMELLED IT. PAX WERE ALSO VERY AWARE OF THE ODOR. WHEN SMELL PERSISTED; I DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS CLRED BACK TO ZZZ WHERE WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE SMELL BEGAN TO DISSIPATE ON APCH. EMER VEHICLES MET THE ACFT AND CHKED FOR ANY SMOKE; FIRE AND HEAT. THEY FOUND NOTHING ABNORMAL AND I TAXIED TO THE GATE AND DEPLANED. I DID DECLARE AN EMER AND USED MY EMER AUTH TO EXCEED 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE OUR ARR BACK TO THE FIELD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 670049: THE FLT ATTENDANTS ADVISED THAT THEY NOTICED THE SMELL AND POSSIBLE SMOKE ALSO. WE DONNED OUR OXYGEN MASKS; DECLARED AN EMER; EXECUTED THE EMER PROCS; AND RETURNED TO LAND.

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.