Narrative:

While climbing out of fll; a cabin crew member called the cockpit and reported smelling a smoke smell at the lavatory at 3L. Moments later; another cabin crew member called to report that he believed the smell to be that of strong cologne or musky odor and not smoke. I asked that they call me back in 5 mins and advise of any changes in the smell or condition one way or the other. They did so and reported there were no changes in the condition from the previous report. I then asked the lead flight attendant and asked that a flight attendant come to the cockpit so the first officer could go back and check the lavatory's condition. The flight attendant who had reported the smell as smoke came into the cockpit and still believed the smell to be that of smoke or burning wire. About this same time the other flight attendant who thought the smell to be cologne called the cockpit and now also believed the smell to be smoke as well. The 3L lavatory smoke detector never went off; but with 2 reports now of a smoke smell and a previous aircraft history of this condition; I believed it prudent to divert to ZZZ; which we were now passing in our climb and have the aircraft condition checked on the ground. We diverted; ran the appropriate checklists and procedures; declared an emergency to get priority handling; landed uneventfully; and had the emergency equipment check the aircraft on the ground and escort us to the gate until the passenger were deplaned where the aircraft remained overnight for inspection.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMOKE AND FUMES RESULTS IN A DIVERSION FOR B757-200.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF FLL; A CABIN CREW MEMBER CALLED THE COCKPIT AND RPTED SMELLING A SMOKE SMELL AT THE LAVATORY AT 3L. MOMENTS LATER; ANOTHER CABIN CREW MEMBER CALLED TO RPT THAT HE BELIEVED THE SMELL TO BE THAT OF STRONG COLOGNE OR MUSKY ODOR AND NOT SMOKE. I ASKED THAT THEY CALL ME BACK IN 5 MINS AND ADVISE OF ANY CHANGES IN THE SMELL OR CONDITION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. THEY DID SO AND RPTED THERE WERE NO CHANGES IN THE CONDITION FROM THE PREVIOUS RPT. I THEN ASKED THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT AND ASKED THAT A FLT ATTENDANT COME TO THE COCKPIT SO THE FO COULD GO BACK AND CHK THE LAVATORY'S CONDITION. THE FLT ATTENDANT WHO HAD RPTED THE SMELL AS SMOKE CAME INTO THE COCKPIT AND STILL BELIEVED THE SMELL TO BE THAT OF SMOKE OR BURNING WIRE. ABOUT THIS SAME TIME THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANT WHO THOUGHT THE SMELL TO BE COLOGNE CALLED THE COCKPIT AND NOW ALSO BELIEVED THE SMELL TO BE SMOKE AS WELL. THE 3L LAVATORY SMOKE DETECTOR NEVER WENT OFF; BUT WITH 2 RPTS NOW OF A SMOKE SMELL AND A PREVIOUS ACFT HISTORY OF THIS CONDITION; I BELIEVED IT PRUDENT TO DIVERT TO ZZZ; WHICH WE WERE NOW PASSING IN OUR CLB AND HAVE THE ACFT CONDITION CHKED ON THE GND. WE DIVERTED; RAN THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS AND PROCS; DECLARED AN EMER TO GET PRIORITY HANDLING; LANDED UNEVENTFULLY; AND HAD THE EMER EQUIP CHK THE ACFT ON THE GND AND ESCORT US TO THE GATE UNTIL THE PAX WERE DEPLANED WHERE THE ACFT REMAINED OVERNIGHT FOR INSPECTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.