B757 flight crew declares an emergency and returns to departure airport after receiving report from ...

Attributes
ACN	726663
Time
Date	200702
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	726663
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : lav smoke detector other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Departing ZZZ. Climbing through approximately 16000 ft; flight attendants report 'burning smell' in rear of cabin; passenger smell it also; will call back to see if it has gone away or continues. Approximately 19000 ft; flight attendants call back saying it is getting very hot; just as the lav smoke detectors start to go off. Captain immediately declares an emergency and turns back toward ZZZ. Descending; flight attendants report smell is dissipating and the smoke detectors are no longer going off. Flight attendants are briefed and that we will be on deck in less than 10 mins. Aircraft met on taxiway/pad by arff confirmed with thermal equipment that no fire/abnormal heat existed in cabin or cargo areas; but brakes were approximately 300 degrees. Maintenance was called to tow us back to gate. Passenger and crew deplaned with no injuries at gate via jetbridge. Captain wrote up problem in log and contacted maintenance control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW DECLARES AN EMER AND RETURNS TO DEP ARPT AFTER RECEIVING REPORT FROM FLT ATTENDANT ABOUT BURNING SMELL IN CABIN; FOLLOWED BY LAV SMOKE DETECTOR.

Narrative: DEPARTING ZZZ. CLBING THROUGH APPROX 16000 FT; FLT ATTENDANTS REPORT 'BURNING SMELL' IN REAR OF CABIN; PAX SMELL IT ALSO; WILL CALL BACK TO SEE IF IT HAS GONE AWAY OR CONTINUES. APPROX 19000 FT; FLT ATTENDANTS CALL BACK SAYING IT IS GETTING VERY HOT; JUST AS THE LAV SMOKE DETECTORS START TO GO OFF. CAPT IMMEDIATELY DECLARES AN EMER AND TURNS BACK TOWARD ZZZ. DSNDING; FLT ATTENDANTS REPORT SMELL IS DISSIPATING AND THE SMOKE DETECTORS ARE NO LONGER GOING OFF. FLT ATTENDANTS ARE BRIEFED AND THAT WE WILL BE ON DECK IN LESS THAN 10 MINS. ACFT MET ON TXWY/PAD BY ARFF CONFIRMED WITH THERMAL EQUIP THAT NO FIRE/ABNORMAL HEAT EXISTED IN CABIN OR CARGO AREAS; BUT BRAKES WERE APPROX 300 DEGS. MAINT WAS CALLED TO TOW US BACK TO GATE. PAX AND CREW DEPLANED WITH NO INJURIES AT GATE VIA JETBRIDGE. CAPT WROTE UP PROB IN LOG AND CONTACTED MAINT CTL.

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.

B757 flight crew declares an emergency and returns to departure airport after receiving report from flight attendant about burning smell in cabin; followed by lav smoke detector.