MD80 experienced in-flight smoke from AC system. Diverts for emergency landing.

Attributes
ACN	729270
Time
Date	200702
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 4
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 22 flight attendant time total : 22 flight attendant time type : 90
ASRS Report	729270
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : passenger other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At approximately XA50 a dead heading captain motioned to me to ask me if I smelled the odor that was in the cabin. He described it as smelling like chlorine. I thought it smelled more like an electrical smell. I said yes and instructed him to contact the cockpit; identify himself; and explain to them what was happening. I also was experiencing a burning sensation in my eyes. Practically simultaneously; several passenger rang their call lights to report the odor; and by this time; we had white smoke in the cabin. The cabin lights were off at the time and smoke appeared to be coming out in streams from the air vents above the passenger seats. When the dead heading captain contacted the cockpit; they responded first by turning off the AC packs; one at a time. I then checked the aft lavs for any signs of smoke or fire and found none. I also walked forward feeling for heat; but found none. I proceeded to the fwd entry area and turned off the power ports. Dead heading captain also came forward and pulled all the galley circuit breaker in the first class galley. Many passenger at this time reported the odor; smoke and a burning sensation in their eyes. We told them that we were aware of the problem and had already reported it to the pilots. No one that I was aware of at this time complained of difficulty breathing. The smoke started to subside once both packs were turned off; but the odor; fumes; and smoke still lingered. It was decided that we would make an emergency landing in ZZZ1 and would be met by emergency personnel. We landed without incident and taxied to a gate where emt; and fire and rescue teams awaited our arrival. I was the #2 and was the last person besides the cockpit to deplane; and when I entered the concourse; there were several passenger on oxygen. A few had been seen for irritated eyes; and one passenger had a severe diabetic reaction later on. It was decided that we would overnight and the plane was taken OTS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 EXPERIENCED INFLT SMOKE FROM AC SYSTEM. DIVERTS FOR EMER LNDG.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA50 A DEAD HEADING CAPT MOTIONED TO ME TO ASK ME IF I SMELLED THE ODOR THAT WAS IN THE CABIN. HE DESCRIBED IT AS SMELLING LIKE CHLORINE. I THOUGHT IT SMELLED MORE LIKE AN ELECTRICAL SMELL. I SAID YES AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO CONTACT THE COCKPIT; IDENTIFY HIMSELF; AND EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I ALSO WAS EXPERIENCING A BURNING SENSATION IN MY EYES. PRACTICALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY; SEVERAL PAX RANG THEIR CALL LIGHTS TO RPT THE ODOR; AND BY THIS TIME; WE HAD WHITE SMOKE IN THE CABIN. THE CABIN LIGHTS WERE OFF AT THE TIME AND SMOKE APPEARED TO BE COMING OUT IN STREAMS FROM THE AIR VENTS ABOVE THE PAX SEATS. WHEN THE DEAD HEADING CAPT CONTACTED THE COCKPIT; THEY RESPONDED FIRST BY TURNING OFF THE AC PACKS; ONE AT A TIME. I THEN CHKED THE AFT LAVS FOR ANY SIGNS OF SMOKE OR FIRE AND FOUND NONE. I ALSO WALKED FORWARD FEELING FOR HEAT; BUT FOUND NONE. I PROCEEDED TO THE FWD ENTRY AREA AND TURNED OFF THE POWER PORTS. DEAD HEADING CAPT ALSO CAME FORWARD AND PULLED ALL THE GALLEY CB IN THE FIRST CLASS GALLEY. MANY PAX AT THIS TIME RPTED THE ODOR; SMOKE AND A BURNING SENSATION IN THEIR EYES. WE TOLD THEM THAT WE WERE AWARE OF THE PROB AND HAD ALREADY RPTED IT TO THE PLTS. NO ONE THAT I WAS AWARE OF AT THIS TIME COMPLAINED OF DIFFICULTY BREATHING. THE SMOKE STARTED TO SUBSIDE ONCE BOTH PACKS WERE TURNED OFF; BUT THE ODOR; FUMES; AND SMOKE STILL LINGERED. IT WAS DECIDED THAT WE WOULD MAKE AN EMER LNDG IN ZZZ1 AND WOULD BE MET BY EMER PERSONNEL. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND TAXIED TO A GATE WHERE EMT; AND FIRE AND RESCUE TEAMS AWAITED OUR ARR. I WAS THE #2 AND WAS THE LAST PERSON BESIDES THE COCKPIT TO DEPLANE; AND WHEN I ENTERED THE CONCOURSE; THERE WERE SEVERAL PAX ON OXYGEN. A FEW HAD BEEN SEEN FOR IRRITATED EYES; AND ONE PAX HAD A SEVERE DIABETIC REACTION LATER ON. IT WAS DECIDED THAT WE WOULD OVERNIGHT AND THE PLANE WAS TAKEN OTS.

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.