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B757 flight crew at FL360 reports smelling electrical fumes in the forward cabin and diverts to the nearest suitable airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 738967 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200705 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 36000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| 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 | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 12000 |
| ASRS Report | 738967 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event other other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other other : 2 |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Purser called during cruise to report strong burning smell in galley area. I needed a restroom break; so I went back to the galley; but could not smell anything burning. There was a faint odor in the forward lavatory; but I couldn't determine the origin and there were no detectable hot spots. Exiting the lavatory area; another flight attendant said she detected the odor near the left forward door; but we still couldn't pinpoint the location. I finally noticed the smell again when I opened the lavatory door; but it was still very faint. Heading back up to the cockpit; I told the first officer that I was considering going to ZZZ; but wanted him to check and see if he could locate the source. He briefly went back and returned to report that the smell was now pretty strong; so we declared an emergency and diverted to ZZZ. Mechanics later determined that a switch mounted on the forward lavatory door frame; which turns on an overhead light in the lavatory when the door is locked; had failed and the burning smell was the switch wiring and bulkhead insulation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B757 FLT CREW AT FL360 REPORTS SMELLING ELECTRICAL FUMES IN THE FORWARD CABIN AND DIVERTS TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.
Narrative: PURSER CALLED DURING CRUISE TO RPT STRONG BURNING SMELL IN GALLEY AREA. I NEEDED A RESTROOM BREAK; SO I WENT BACK TO THE GALLEY; BUT COULD NOT SMELL ANYTHING BURNING. THERE WAS A FAINT ODOR IN THE FORWARD LAVATORY; BUT I COULDN'T DETERMINE THE ORIGIN AND THERE WERE NO DETECTABLE HOT SPOTS. EXITING THE LAVATORY AREA; ANOTHER FLT ATTENDANT SAID SHE DETECTED THE ODOR NEAR THE L FORWARD DOOR; BUT WE STILL COULDN'T PINPOINT THE LOCATION. I FINALLY NOTICED THE SMELL AGAIN WHEN I OPENED THE LAVATORY DOOR; BUT IT WAS STILL VERY FAINT. HEADING BACK UP TO THE COCKPIT; I TOLD THE FO THAT I WAS CONSIDERING GOING TO ZZZ; BUT WANTED HIM TO CHK AND SEE IF HE COULD LOCATE THE SOURCE. HE BRIEFLY WENT BACK AND RETURNED TO RPT THAT THE SMELL WAS NOW PRETTY STRONG; SO WE DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO ZZZ. MECHS LATER DETERMINED THAT A SWITCH MOUNTED ON THE FORWARD LAVATORY DOOR FRAME; WHICH TURNS ON AN OVERHEAD LIGHT IN THE LAVATORY WHEN THE DOOR IS LOCKED; HAD FAILED AND THE BURNING SMELL WAS THE SWITCH WIRING AND BULKHEAD INSULATION.
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.