E145 flight crew declares emergency and makes early descent due to smoke in cockpit.

Attributes
ACN	675083
Time
Date	200510
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	675083
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At FL280; we encountered an emergency that involved us diverting to a nearby airport due to smoke in the flight deck. An emergency was declared but in case we deviated from altitude before clearance was given; I am writing this report. I do not believe that any deviations occurred; but a lot of things happened very quickly. We asked for lower immediately and they gave us FL240 and subsequently FL200. It was at the initial altitude descent that we may have left altitude before the clearance. At any rate; the flight was being diverted in the interest of safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 FLT CREW DECLARES EMER AND MAKES EARLY DSCNT DUE TO SMOKE IN COCKPIT.

Narrative: AT FL280; WE ENCOUNTERED AN EMER THAT INVOLVED US DIVERTING TO A NEARBY ARPT DUE TO SMOKE IN THE FLT DECK. AN EMER WAS DECLARED BUT IN CASE WE DEVIATED FROM ALT BEFORE CLRNC WAS GIVEN; I AM WRITING THIS RPT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY DEVS OCCURRED; BUT A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY. WE ASKED FOR LOWER IMMEDIATELY AND THEY GAVE US FL240 AND SUBSEQUENTLY FL200. IT WAS AT THE INITIAL ALT DSCNT THAT WE MAY HAVE LEFT ALT BEFORE THE CLRNC. AT ANY RATE; THE FLT WAS BEING DIVERTED IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY.

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.