Burning odor in cabin causes A320 to declare emergency and divert for maintenance inspection.

Attributes
ACN	784565
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zob.artcc
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 2454
ASRS Report	784565
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

178 mi from landing ZZZ1; FL370; aft flight attendant called and reported a burning electrical/plastic smell at row 24. Told them to try to determine source of smell and get back to me. Shortly thereafter; flight attendant called and said smell had intensified; and could not find the source. Had first officer fly the airplane; declare an emergency; and diverted to ZZZ2 after coordination with dispatch. Uneventful landing in ZZZ2. Emergency equipment saw nothing unusual outside of aircraft; so we taxied to gate. Contract maintenance investigated; and was unable to find the nature of our problem. Talked with maintenance controller and they said that it could be a ballast problem in one of the sidewall lights overheating. I did not believe it would have been safe to take the aircraft in its current state; no determination of source of smell; I refused to take it after the inspection by contract maintenance. Since the first officer and I were already 8 hours into our duty day; fatigue became a factor; so I coordinated with the crew desk to find accommodations for us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BURNING ODOR IN CABIN CAUSES A320 TO DECLARE EMERGENCY AND DIVERT FOR MAINTENANCE INSPECTION.

Narrative: 178 MI FROM LNDG ZZZ1; FL370; AFT FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND RPTED A BURNING ELECTRICAL/PLASTIC SMELL AT ROW 24. TOLD THEM TO TRY TO DETERMINE SOURCE OF SMELL AND GET BACK TO ME. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND SAID SMELL HAD INTENSIFIED; AND COULD NOT FIND THE SOURCE. HAD FO FLY THE AIRPLANE; DECLARE AN EMER; AND DIVERTED TO ZZZ2 AFTER COORD WITH DISPATCH. UNEVENTFUL LNDG IN ZZZ2. EMER EQUIP SAW NOTHING UNUSUAL OUTSIDE OF ACFT; SO WE TAXIED TO GATE. CONTRACT MAINT INVESTIGATED; AND WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE NATURE OF OUR PROB. TALKED WITH MAINT CTLR AND THEY SAID THAT IT COULD BE A BALLAST PROB IN ONE OF THE SIDEWALL LIGHTS OVERHEATING. I DID NOT BELIEVE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFE TO TAKE THE ACFT IN ITS CURRENT STATE; NO DETERMINATION OF SOURCE OF SMELL; I REFUSED TO TAKE IT AFTER THE INSPECTION BY CONTRACT MAINT. SINCE THE FO AND I WERE ALREADY 8 HRS INTO OUR DUTY DAY; FATIGUE BECAME A FACTOR; SO I COORDINATED WITH THE CREW DESK TO FIND ACCOMMODATIONS FOR US.

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.