B737-700 diverts to stl due to intermittent electrical odor in galley.

Attributes
ACN	734095
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ape.vortac
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 38000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 252
ASRS Report	734095
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Cruising at FL380; flight attendant called to advise us there was an odd 'electrical' odor in the aft galley. It would come and go infrequently and wanted to let us know. Consulted the QRH and tried combinations of recirc/gasper fan on/off; asked them to let us know if it continued. We called back 5 minutes later to find out if it was gone or worse. The captain elected to go back to the aft galley to observe the scene. After some time he got a 'faint whiff' of something; and asked me to select the right pack 'off.' the odor had ceased and he returned to the cockpit. The captain established contact with maintenance for additional guidance; and the decision to perform a precautionary overweight landing in stl was made. The mysterious odor never returned and stl maintenance met us at the gate. The source of the odor is unknown; and I don't know of anything we could have done to prevent it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 DIVERTS TO STL DUE TO INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL ODOR IN GALLEY.

Narrative: CRUISING AT FL380; FLT ATTENDANT CALLED TO ADVISE US THERE WAS AN ODD 'ELECTRICAL' ODOR IN THE AFT GALLEY. IT WOULD COME AND GO INFREQUENTLY AND WANTED TO LET US KNOW. CONSULTED THE QRH AND TRIED COMBINATIONS OF RECIRC/GASPER FAN ON/OFF; ASKED THEM TO LET US KNOW IF IT CONTINUED. WE CALLED BACK 5 MINUTES LATER TO FIND OUT IF IT WAS GONE OR WORSE. THE CAPT ELECTED TO GO BACK TO THE AFT GALLEY TO OBSERVE THE SCENE. AFTER SOME TIME HE GOT A 'FAINT WHIFF' OF SOMETHING; AND ASKED ME TO SELECT THE RIGHT PACK 'OFF.' THE ODOR HAD CEASED AND HE RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT. THE CAPT ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH MAINT FOR ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE; AND THE DECISION TO PERFORM A PRECAUTIONARY OVERWT LANDING IN STL WAS MADE. THE MYSTERIOUS ODOR NEVER RETURNED AND STL MAINT MET US AT THE GATE. THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR IS UNKNOWN; AND I DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING WE COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT IT.

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.