B767 relief officer reports electrical fumes in the cockpit at FL380 with diversion.

Attributes
ACN	797097
Time
Date	200807
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 38000
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain Ice other
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : relief pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 16900 flight time type : 5800
ASRS Report	797097
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

About 1 hour prior to the major fumes and odor event; I was in the captain's seat and I turned the shoulder/heater switch on. About 10 mins later; we smelled an electrical smell; so I turned off the heaters and the smell subsided. About 45 mins to 1 hour later; we smelled the same smell and it continued. I checked and put my hands on all the circuit breakers with no abnormal condition detected. We started the smoke/fumes odor checklist and called the captain off break. When he came to the cockpit; we briefed him of the condition and our checklist progress. While waiting for dispatch to come on comrdo; we decided that the fumes were not dissipating and decided that ZZZ was 150 mi away and our best option. We told ATC we wanted to go to ZZZ. Dispatch called and we told him we were diverting to ZZZ and please handle our arrival. 13-18 mins later; we were on the ground. Not much time when the cockpit does not clear of fumes and odor of burning electrical material.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 RELIEF OFFICER REPORTS ELECTRICAL FUMES IN THE COCKPIT AT FL380 WITH DIVERSION.

Narrative: ABOUT 1 HR PRIOR TO THE MAJOR FUMES AND ODOR EVENT; I WAS IN THE CAPT'S SEAT AND I TURNED THE SHOULDER/HEATER SWITCH ON. ABOUT 10 MINS LATER; WE SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL SMELL; SO I TURNED OFF THE HEATERS AND THE SMELL SUBSIDED. ABOUT 45 MINS TO 1 HR LATER; WE SMELLED THE SAME SMELL AND IT CONTINUED. I CHKED AND PUT MY HANDS ON ALL THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS WITH NO ABNORMAL CONDITION DETECTED. WE STARTED THE SMOKE/FUMES ODOR CHKLIST AND CALLED THE CAPT OFF BREAK. WHEN HE CAME TO THE COCKPIT; WE BRIEFED HIM OF THE CONDITION AND OUR CHKLIST PROGRESS. WHILE WAITING FOR DISPATCH TO COME ON COMRDO; WE DECIDED THAT THE FUMES WERE NOT DISSIPATING AND DECIDED THAT ZZZ WAS 150 MI AWAY AND OUR BEST OPTION. WE TOLD ATC WE WANTED TO GO TO ZZZ. DISPATCH CALLED AND WE TOLD HIM WE WERE DIVERTING TO ZZZ AND PLEASE HANDLE OUR ARR. 13-18 MINS LATER; WE WERE ON THE GND. NOT MUCH TIME WHEN THE COCKPIT DOES NOT CLR OF FUMES AND ODOR OF BURNING ELECTRICAL MATERIAL.

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.