Narrative:

Climb out was routine with multiple steps (4000 ft; 5000 ft; 7000 ft). After reaching 7000 ft; we were assigned to climb and maintain 11000 ft. Shortly after initiating the climb from 7000 ft; we received a r-hand engine intake light. Along with the intake caution light; the first officer and I both smelled a very strong odor or burning -- melting rubber. I asked the first officer to check the condition of the right engine intake area. He reported seeing light coming from within the intake area; which I thought to be fire. I immediately turned the r-hand engine heat switch off and the first officer reported the light from inside the intake extinguished. We then asked departure for radar vectors back to ZZZ and reported to them we had an engine anti-ice problem. The first officer read the QRH concerning the illuminated caution light. At this point; the first officer took over flying duties so that I could take over the communications. After a few moments to think through the situation; I called departure and declared an emergency; stating the nature of the problem (fire on the right engine intake) as well as reporting that the fire had extinguished by turning the engine anti-ice off. Departure acknowledged and stated that emergency vehicles would be standing by. We were then given vectors to the final approach course. At this point; I called dispatch and notified them of the situation; reported to the flight attendant; and made an announcement to the passenger stating that we would be returning to ZZZ. We decided that since the first officer was currently flying and comfortable that he would make the approach and landing into ZZZ. We accomplished the descent and approach check and from there a normal landing. We taxied off the runway and stopped long enough to assess our situation. We then communicated to ground control that there was no further need of assistance. We then taxied back to the gate. The postflt inspection found a burnt spot on the r-hand engine intake. The event was first idented by a master caution; ice protect lookup light; and right intake light. Along with the caution lights; both the first officer and I smelled a strong odor of burning/melting rubber. The first officer then saw a light coming from inside the r-hand engine intake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF340 FLT CREW REPORTS ENGINE INLET ANTI-ICE FAILURE CAUSING BURNING SMELLS. FLT CREW COMPLIES WITH QRH; DECLARES AN EMER AND RETURNS TO DEPARTURE ARPT.

Narrative: CLBOUT WAS ROUTINE WITH MULTIPLE STEPS (4000 FT; 5000 FT; 7000 FT). AFTER REACHING 7000 FT; WE WERE ASSIGNED TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 11000 FT. SHORTLY AFTER INITIATING THE CLB FROM 7000 FT; WE RECEIVED A R-HAND ENG INTAKE LIGHT. ALONG WITH THE INTAKE CAUTION LIGHT; THE FO AND I BOTH SMELLED A VERY STRONG ODOR OR BURNING -- MELTING RUBBER. I ASKED THE FO TO CHK THE CONDITION OF THE R ENG INTAKE AREA. HE RPTED SEEING LIGHT COMING FROM WITHIN THE INTAKE AREA; WHICH I THOUGHT TO BE FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE R-HAND ENG HEAT SWITCH OFF AND THE FO RPTED THE LIGHT FROM INSIDE THE INTAKE EXTINGUISHED. WE THEN ASKED DEP FOR RADAR VECTORS BACK TO ZZZ AND RPTED TO THEM WE HAD AN ENG ANTI-ICE PROB. THE FO READ THE QRH CONCERNING THE ILLUMINATED CAUTION LIGHT. AT THIS POINT; THE FO TOOK OVER FLYING DUTIES SO THAT I COULD TAKE OVER THE COMS. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS TO THINK THROUGH THE SITUATION; I CALLED DEP AND DECLARED AN EMER; STATING THE NATURE OF THE PROB (FIRE ON THE R ENG INTAKE) AS WELL AS RPTING THAT THE FIRE HAD EXTINGUISHED BY TURNING THE ENG ANTI-ICE OFF. DEP ACKNOWLEDGED AND STATED THAT EMER VEHICLES WOULD BE STANDING BY. WE WERE THEN GIVEN VECTORS TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. AT THIS POINT; I CALLED DISPATCH AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE SITUATION; RPTED TO THE FLT ATTENDANT; AND MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX STATING THAT WE WOULD BE RETURNING TO ZZZ. WE DECIDED THAT SINCE THE FO WAS CURRENTLY FLYING AND COMFORTABLE THAT HE WOULD MAKE THE APCH AND LNDG INTO ZZZ. WE ACCOMPLISHED THE DSCNT AND APCH CHK AND FROM THERE A NORMAL LNDG. WE TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND STOPPED LONG ENOUGH TO ASSESS OUR SITUATION. WE THEN COMMUNICATED TO GND CTL THAT THERE WAS NO FURTHER NEED OF ASSISTANCE. WE THEN TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE. THE POSTFLT INSPECTION FOUND A BURNT SPOT ON THE R-HAND ENG INTAKE. THE EVENT WAS FIRST IDENTED BY A MASTER CAUTION; ICE PROTECT LOOKUP LIGHT; AND R INTAKE LIGHT. ALONG WITH THE CAUTION LIGHTS; BOTH THE FO AND I SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF BURNING/MELTING RUBBER. THE FO THEN SAW A LIGHT COMING FROM INSIDE THE R-HAND ENG INTAKE.

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.