B757-200 first officer reports emergency diversion to nearest suitable airport due to acrid fumes.

Attributes
ACN	778059
Time
Date	200803
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 40000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
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 : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 115 flight time total : 15098 flight time type : 2382
ASRS Report	778059
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was the pilot monitoring (pm); and the captain was the PF. While level at FL400; the PF noticed unidented; acrid fumes coming from cockpit gasper vents. Pm confirmed acrid fumes. Immediately donned oxygen masks and established crew communications. The pm called flight attendants in the cabin; who also confirmed presence of fumes. As the pm referenced QRH smoke and/or fumes non normal procedure; presence of fumes continued to increase. Flight attendants then reported burning eyes and some throat irritation among passenger and crew. The decision was made to declare an emergency and divert to the nearest suitable airport. Emergency descent was initiated. Passenger and cabin crew were informed of the situation. Pm asked center to relay divert information to our company. Pilots shared the workload during descent; and pm continued to attempt to isolate source of fumes using the QRH. Normal approach and landing were accomplished; fire and rescue personnel inspected the aircraft; and no smoke nor signs of fire were noted. The decision was made not to evacuate/evacuation passenger or crew. Taxi to apron and tug to gate was normal. Passenger and crew deplaned normally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 FO REPORTS EMERGENCY DIVERSION TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT DUE TO ACRID FUMES.

Narrative: I WAS THE PLT MONITORING (PM); AND THE CAPT WAS THE PF. WHILE LEVEL AT FL400; THE PF NOTICED UNIDENTED; ACRID FUMES COMING FROM COCKPIT GASPER VENTS. PM CONFIRMED ACRID FUMES. IMMEDIATELY DONNED OXYGEN MASKS AND ESTABLISHED CREW COMS. THE PM CALLED FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE CABIN; WHO ALSO CONFIRMED PRESENCE OF FUMES. AS THE PM REFED QRH SMOKE AND/OR FUMES NON NORMAL PROC; PRESENCE OF FUMES CONTINUED TO INCREASE. FLT ATTENDANTS THEN RPTED BURNING EYES AND SOME THROAT IRRITATION AMONG PAX AND CREW. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DECLARE AN EMER AND DIVERT TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT. EMER DSCNT WAS INITIATED. PAX AND CABIN CREW WERE INFORMED OF THE SITUATION. PM ASKED CENTER TO RELAY DIVERT INFO TO OUR COMPANY. PLTS SHARED THE WORKLOAD DURING DSCNT; AND PM CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT TO ISOLATE SOURCE OF FUMES USING THE QRH. NORMAL APCH AND LNDG WERE ACCOMPLISHED; FIRE AND RESCUE PERSONNEL INSPECTED THE ACFT; AND NO SMOKE NOR SIGNS OF FIRE WERE NOTED. THE DECISION WAS MADE NOT TO EVAC PAX OR CREW. TAXI TO APRON AND TUG TO GATE WAS NORMAL. PAX AND CREW DEPLANED NORMALLY.

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.