A319 flight crew diverts for flight attendant reported electrical odor in the cabin.

Attributes
ACN	699625
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	699625
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Purser called saying several passenger from row 13 through 20 were smelling an electrical smell and had pushed call button to notify the cabin crew. He and the other flight attendants also smelled the odor and said it was worst at row 13. The purser reported problems with audio and video in vicinity and shut off the 'pes.' captain asked if smell was dissipating or not. Cabin crew said smell was increasing at this point. Captain told me to take the jet to ZZZ which was off the nose and approximately 65 NM. He declared the emergency and then the cockpit split with him coordinating and me flying and dealing with ATC; fuel; souls on board; loading box; etc. There were never any associated ecams; odor or indications of a problem from the aircraft. So I felt comfortable with a high speed; high energy approach coming down from FL360. ATC gave us direct for runway 35L approach. Captain had me continue the approach and landing which was without further incident. Mechanics later found a wall disconnect box for the seat audio/video was the culprit at row 13DEF. Cockpit and cabin crews worked through this problem together well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW DIVERTS FOR FLT ATTENDANT RPTED ELECTRICAL ODOR IN THE CABIN.

Narrative: PURSER CALLED SAYING SEVERAL PAX FROM ROW 13 THROUGH 20 WERE SMELLING AN ELECTRICAL SMELL AND HAD PUSHED CALL BUTTON TO NOTIFY THE CABIN CREW. HE AND THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS ALSO SMELLED THE ODOR AND SAID IT WAS WORST AT ROW 13. THE PURSER RPTED PROBS WITH AUDIO AND VIDEO IN VICINITY AND SHUT OFF THE 'PES.' CAPT ASKED IF SMELL WAS DISSIPATING OR NOT. CABIN CREW SAID SMELL WAS INCREASING AT THIS POINT. CAPT TOLD ME TO TAKE THE JET TO ZZZ WHICH WAS OFF THE NOSE AND APPROX 65 NM. HE DECLARED THE EMER AND THEN THE COCKPIT SPLIT WITH HIM COORDINATING AND ME FLYING AND DEALING WITH ATC; FUEL; SOULS ON BOARD; LOADING BOX; ETC. THERE WERE NEVER ANY ASSOCIATED ECAMS; ODOR OR INDICATIONS OF A PROB FROM THE ACFT. SO I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH A HIGH SPD; HIGH ENERGY APCH COMING DOWN FROM FL360. ATC GAVE US DIRECT FOR RWY 35L APCH. CAPT HAD ME CONTINUE THE APCH AND LNDG WHICH WAS WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. MECHS LATER FOUND A WALL DISCONNECT BOX FOR THE SEAT AUDIO/VIDEO WAS THE CULPRIT AT ROW 13DEF. COCKPIT AND CABIN CREWS WORKED THROUGH THIS PROB TOGETHER WELL.

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.