Narrative:

Climbing through 11000 ft; a loud high pitch noise followed by a strong electrical burning smell developed. Elected to return to ZZZZ because of potential fire and unknown source of noise/smell. Requested leveloff at 14000 ft; as this is the transition altitude/level cleared to 15000 ft. Declared an emergency and advised we needed to return; dump fuel and requested a turn to direct fix. Departure was slow in responding and I reported that we were turning toward a fix; declaring an emergency; dumping fuel and requesting a descent. Cleared by departure to direct fix and 6000 ft. Reviewed 'smoke/fire' and 'smoke removal' checklists. During descent noise and smell dissipated. Requested and cleared for turn to 'fix' to place us closer to the airport. Departure requested what assistance we required upon landing and we asked for fire trucks be positioned for landing runway 6. Requested and cleared for direct first officer 'fix' for the ILS runway 6. Approaching fix; advised we would make a 360 degree turn at fix in order to complete fuel and not land overweight. Landing was normal; secured aircraft with all electrical and battery off. The only thing I would do differently was to not request initial leveloff; dump and turn; but tell departure what we were doing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 EXPERIENCES SMOKE AND NOISE OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN SHORTLY AFTER TKOF FROM ZZZZ. DUMP FUEL AND RETURN UNDER EMER CONDITIONS.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH 11000 FT; A LOUD HIGH PITCH NOISE FOLLOWED BY A STRONG ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL DEVELOPED. ELECTED TO RETURN TO ZZZZ BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL FIRE AND UNKNOWN SOURCE OF NOISE/SMELL. REQUESTED LEVELOFF AT 14000 FT; AS THIS IS THE TRANSITION ALT/LEVEL CLRED TO 15000 FT. DECLARED AN EMER AND ADVISED WE NEEDED TO RETURN; DUMP FUEL AND REQUESTED A TURN TO DIRECT FIX. DEP WAS SLOW IN RESPONDING AND I RPTED THAT WE WERE TURNING TOWARD A FIX; DECLARING AN EMER; DUMPING FUEL AND REQUESTING A DSCNT. CLRED BY DEP TO DIRECT FIX AND 6000 FT. REVIEWED 'SMOKE/FIRE' AND 'SMOKE REMOVAL' CHKLISTS. DURING DSCNT NOISE AND SMELL DISSIPATED. REQUESTED AND CLRED FOR TURN TO 'FIX' TO PLACE US CLOSER TO THE ARPT. DEP REQUESTED WHAT ASSISTANCE WE REQUIRED UPON LNDG AND WE ASKED FOR FIRE TRUCKS BE POSITIONED FOR LNDG RWY 6. REQUESTED AND CLRED FOR DIRECT FO 'FIX' FOR THE ILS RWY 6. APCHING FIX; ADVISED WE WOULD MAKE A 360 DEG TURN AT FIX IN ORDER TO COMPLETE FUEL AND NOT LAND OVERWT. LNDG WAS NORMAL; SECURED ACFT WITH ALL ELECTRICAL AND BATTERY OFF. THE ONLY THING I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY WAS TO NOT REQUEST INITIAL LEVELOFF; DUMP AND TURN; BUT TELL DEP WHAT WE WERE DOING.

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.