B717 flight crew has fumes in cockpit; declares emergency; diverts for landing.

Attributes
ACN	710296
Time
Date	200609
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B717
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
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 14600 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	710296
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 18460 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	710522
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Everything was normal on flight. We noticed loss of cockpit; overhead; center; captain; first officer and fcp back panel lighting. Initial troubleshooting found all circuit breakers in normal closed position. Within a min or so; we noticed a faint electrical burning smell. Simultaneously; flight attendant called cockpit notifying us of a faint electrical burning smell in forward cabin. As a precaution; captain pulled all 4 circuit breakers for instrument panel back lighting. Immediately; captain became PF; declared an emergency with ATC; requested diversion to nearest suitable airport and began rapid descent. Landed safely. We stopped aircraft on an open ramp and assessed situation with crash fire rescue equipment and cabin crew. We determined no need for evacuate/evacuation; and proceeded to gate. We deplaned passenger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B717 FLT CREW HAS FUMES IN COCKPIT; DECLARES EMER; DIVERTS FOR LNDG.

Narrative: EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL ON FLT. WE NOTICED LOSS OF COCKPIT; OVERHEAD; CTR; CAPT; FO AND FCP BACK PANEL LIGHTING. INITIAL TROUBLESHOOTING FOUND ALL CIRCUIT BREAKERS IN NORMAL CLOSED POS. WITHIN A MIN OR SO; WE NOTICED A FAINT ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL. SIMULTANEOUSLY; FLT ATTENDANT CALLED COCKPIT NOTIFYING US OF A FAINT ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL IN FORWARD CABIN. AS A PRECAUTION; CAPT PULLED ALL 4 CIRCUIT BREAKERS FOR INST PANEL BACK LIGHTING. IMMEDIATELY; CAPT BECAME PF; DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC; REQUESTED DIVERSION TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT AND BEGAN RAPID DSCNT. LANDED SAFELY. WE STOPPED ACFT ON AN OPEN RAMP AND ASSESSED SITUATION WITH CFR AND CABIN CREW. WE DETERMINED NO NEED FOR EVAC; AND PROCEEDED TO GATE. WE DEPLANED PAX.

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.