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An A320 received an 'avionics smoke' ECAM. An emergency was declared with a return to land. The smoke warning's source was not idented.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 711079 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200609 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzzz.airport |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzzz.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | departure sid : zzzz |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 711079 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 137 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 541 |
| ASRS Report | 710863 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Departing ZZZ at about 6000 ft we had an avionics smoke ECAM. We notified flight attendants and asked them if they could smell any smoke. The response was negative and we informed them of an immediate landing. ATC was notified of the emergency and we immediately turned downwind. We briefed the overweight condition and performed a normal approach. I took control of the aircraft for landing and touchdown was less than 300 FPM. Upon exiting the runway the ECAM disappeared. Maintenance was unable to determine cause of ECAM but they replaced a computer in the avionics bay and cleaned smoke sensors. Rest of day was uneventful. Supplemental information from acn 710863: on the departure; climbing overhead the airport; we received an avionics smoke ECAM with 'land as soon as possible' displayed. We told ATC and the flight attendants that we were returning for landing immediately. (We also asked the flight attendants if there was smoke in the cabin which they responded to as 'no.') the turn downwind and timely approach was normal. The captain became the PF during the downwind leg. The overweight condition was briefed and considered not to be a factor. The touchdown was smooth. Upon exiting the runway the ECAM disappeared. Maintenance was unable to determine the cause of the ECAM. I was satisfied with the results of our short flight but was quite scared by the nature of the ECAM.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 RECEIVED AN 'AVIONICS SMOKE' ECAM. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH A RETURN TO LAND. THE SMOKE WARNING'S SOURCE WAS NOT IDENTED.
Narrative: DEPARTING ZZZ AT ABOUT 6000 FT WE HAD AN AVIONICS SMOKE ECAM. WE NOTIFIED FLT ATTENDANTS AND ASKED THEM IF THEY COULD SMELL ANY SMOKE. THE RESPONSE WAS NEGATIVE AND WE INFORMED THEM OF AN IMMEDIATE LNDG. ATC WAS NOTIFIED OF THE EMER AND WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED DOWNWIND. WE BRIEFED THE OVERWT CONDITION AND PERFORMED A NORMAL APCH. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT FOR LNDG AND TOUCHDOWN WAS LESS THAN 300 FPM. UPON EXITING THE RWY THE ECAM DISAPPEARED. MAINT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF ECAM BUT THEY REPLACED A COMPUTER IN THE AVIONICS BAY AND CLEANED SMOKE SENSORS. REST OF DAY WAS UNEVENTFUL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 710863: ON THE DEP; CLBING OVERHEAD THE ARPT; WE RECEIVED AN AVIONICS SMOKE ECAM WITH 'LAND ASAP' DISPLAYED. WE TOLD ATC AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS THAT WE WERE RETURNING FOR LNDG IMMEDIATELY. (WE ALSO ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANTS IF THERE WAS SMOKE IN THE CABIN WHICH THEY RESPONDED TO AS 'NO.') THE TURN DOWNWIND AND TIMELY APCH WAS NORMAL. THE CAPT BECAME THE PF DURING THE DOWNWIND LEG. THE OVERWT CONDITION WAS BRIEFED AND CONSIDERED NOT TO BE A FACTOR. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SMOOTH. UPON EXITING THE RWY THE ECAM DISAPPEARED. MAINT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE ECAM. I WAS SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS OF OUR SHORT FLT BUT WAS QUITE SCARED BY THE NATURE OF THE ECAM.
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.