Narrative:

On climb out from runway xx at ZZZ; at approximately 5000 ft both captain and first officer noticed a slight electrical type odor; fairly strong for half a minute of so; then dissipated rapidly; and completely within 3 or 4 mins. There was no smoke; nor any EICAS; nor other notification nor symptom of any failure or abnormal condition. Concurrently the flight attendant; sitting in the flight attendant jumpseat; smelled the same odor; but much stronger and longer lasting; approximately 6 mins duration; which he relayed to us. The galley was checked and ruled out. The flight attendant stated the smell was strongest at his jumpseat. No passenger reported smelling anything. I was PNF and relayed to ZZZ departure our request to return to landing; with souls and fuel. The checklists were performed per the aom; with the exception that I made the decision to delay donning the masks and goggles; due to the relatively minute and rapidly diminished amount of 'fumes' and our immediate return and proximity to ZZZ. I sent an ACARS to dispatch; informed ZZZ operations and maintenance; gave the flight attendant a normal landing brief and PA'ed the passenger. PF first officer flew the left traffic pattern back. We stopped for crash fire rescue equipment to inspect. They found no indication of fire; nor smoke. We then proceeded to the gate under our own power and deplaned there. There were no injuries. All 3 crew members on board the aircraft smelled an electrical odor. I could venture a guess as to the probability that a fuse functioned I'm properly in the bus bin behind my seat; but have no knowledge of the actual cause.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB-135 CREW SMELLED ELECTRICAL FUMES AFTER TKOF AND RETURNED TO LAND. THE SMELL WAS STRONGER AND LASTED LONGER FOR THE FLT ATT IN THE FORWARD JUMPSEAT.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM RWY XX AT ZZZ; AT APPROX 5000 FT BOTH CAPT AND FO NOTICED A SLIGHT ELECTRICAL TYPE ODOR; FAIRLY STRONG FOR HALF A MINUTE OF SO; THEN DISSIPATED RAPIDLY; AND COMPLETELY WITHIN 3 OR 4 MINS. THERE WAS NO SMOKE; NOR ANY EICAS; NOR OTHER NOTIFICATION NOR SYMPTOM OF ANY FAILURE OR ABNORMAL CONDITION. CONCURRENTLY THE FLT ATTENDANT; SITTING IN THE FLT ATTENDANT JUMPSEAT; SMELLED THE SAME ODOR; BUT MUCH STRONGER AND LONGER LASTING; APPROX 6 MINS DURATION; WHICH HE RELAYED TO US. THE GALLEY WAS CHKED AND RULED OUT. THE FLT ATTENDANT STATED THE SMELL WAS STRONGEST AT HIS JUMPSEAT. NO PAX RPTED SMELLING ANYTHING. I WAS PNF AND RELAYED TO ZZZ DEP OUR REQUEST TO RETURN TO LNDG; WITH SOULS AND FUEL. THE CHKLISTS WERE PERFORMED PER THE AOM; WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT I MADE THE DECISION TO DELAY DONNING THE MASKS AND GOGGLES; DUE TO THE RELATIVELY MINUTE AND RAPIDLY DIMINISHED AMOUNT OF 'FUMES' AND OUR IMMEDIATE RETURN AND PROX TO ZZZ. I SENT AN ACARS TO DISPATCH; INFORMED ZZZ OPS AND MAINT; GAVE THE FLT ATTENDANT A NORMAL LNDG BRIEF AND PA'ED THE PAX. PF FO FLEW THE L TFC PATTERN BACK. WE STOPPED FOR CFR TO INSPECT. THEY FOUND NO INDICATION OF FIRE; NOR SMOKE. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO THE GATE UNDER OUR OWN PWR AND DEPLANED THERE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS ON BOARD THE ACFT SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL ODOR. I COULD VENTURE A GUESS AS TO THE PROBABILITY THAT A FUSE FUNCTIONED I'M PROPERLY IN THE BUS BIN BEHIND MY SEAT; BUT HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ACTUAL CAUSE.

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.