B747-400 flight crew has fumes in the cabin; declares emergency and lands.

Attributes
ACN	708127
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-400 and 400 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 4700
ASRS Report	708127
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While descending for arrival; strong odor of burning matches was noted throughout aircraft. Flight attendants inspected cabin looking for possible source; and pilots performed company prescribed procedures. Right air cycle machine failed during these events. Flight attendants then reported a strong; new odor of 'electrical burning.' at this report I declared an emergency with ATC. Subsequent approach and landing were normal (burning odors dissipated before we landed). Airport emergency equipment was at the ready; but because the situation seemed in remission we made a normal taxi to the terminal. Passenger were deplaned normally; also. Emergency was declared to ensure expeditious ATC handling and readiness of airport firefighting equipment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 FLT CREW HAS FUMES IN THE CABIN; DECLARES EMER AND LANDS.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING FOR ARR; STRONG ODOR OF BURNING MATCHES WAS NOTED THROUGHOUT ACFT. FLT ATTENDANTS INSPECTED CABIN LOOKING FOR POSSIBLE SOURCE; AND PLTS PERFORMED COMPANY PRESCRIBED PROCS. R AIR CYCLE MACHINE FAILED DURING THESE EVENTS. FLT ATTENDANTS THEN RPTED A STRONG; NEW ODOR OF 'ELECTRICAL BURNING.' AT THIS RPT I DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC. SUBSEQUENT APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL (BURNING ODORS DISSIPATED BEFORE WE LANDED). ARPT EMER EQUIP WAS AT THE READY; BUT BECAUSE THE SIT SEEMED IN REMISSION WE MADE A NORMAL TAXI TO THE TERMINAL. PAX WERE DEPLANED NORMALLY; ALSO. EMER WAS DECLARED TO ENSURE EXPEDITIOUS ATC HANDLING AND READINESS OF ARPT FIREFIGHTING EQUIP.

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.