A300 returns to departure airport after electrical odor is detected in cockpit.

Attributes
ACN	670267
Time
Date	200508
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 30000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
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
ASRS Report	670267
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While cruising at FL300 approximately 45 mins into flight; first officer reported a burning rubber smell on his side of cockpit. I could not smell it very well from my side. After checking out the system; I decided to call the purser for a third opinion. The purser agreed with the first officer. I was approaching a waypoint where we would lose radar coverage with ZMA. I decided that the safest course of action was to divert. I requested a course reversal initially to ZZZ1. After contacting dispatch; I decided that returning to ZZZ2 was a better option. I declared an emergency and made an uneventful overweight landing at ZZZ2. Supplemental information from acn 670392: while in cruise I began to smell what appeared to me to be something electrical burning. I informed the captain and utilized the A300 sniffer fan. The captain asked the purser to come to the cockpit to see if he could smell the burning fumes that I was smelling. The purser confirmed what I was smelling. At this time the captain made the decision to return to departure airport. He made an uneventful overweight landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 RETURNS TO DEP ARPT AFTER ELECTRICAL ODOR IS DETECTED IN COCKPIT.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL300 APPROX 45 MINS INTO FLT; FO RPTED A BURNING RUBBER SMELL ON HIS SIDE OF COCKPIT. I COULD NOT SMELL IT VERY WELL FROM MY SIDE. AFTER CHKING OUT THE SYS; I DECIDED TO CALL THE PURSER FOR A THIRD OPINION. THE PURSER AGREED WITH THE FO. I WAS APCHING A WAYPOINT WHERE WE WOULD LOSE RADAR COVERAGE WITH ZMA. I DECIDED THAT THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO DIVERT. I REQUESTED A COURSE REVERSAL INITIALLY TO ZZZ1. AFTER CONTACTING DISPATCH; I DECIDED THAT RETURNING TO ZZZ2 WAS A BETTER OPTION. I DECLARED AN EMER AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL OVERWT LNDG AT ZZZ2. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 670392: WHILE IN CRUISE I BEGAN TO SMELL WHAT APPEARED TO ME TO BE SOMETHING ELECTRICAL BURNING. I INFORMED THE CAPT AND UTILIZED THE A300 SNIFFER FAN. THE CAPT ASKED THE PURSER TO COME TO THE COCKPIT TO SEE IF HE COULD SMELL THE BURNING FUMES THAT I WAS SMELLING. THE PURSER CONFIRMED WHAT I WAS SMELLING. AT THIS TIME THE CAPT MADE THE DECISION TO RETURN TO DEP ARPT. HE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL OVERWEIGHT LNDG.

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.