An MD88 flight crew experienced smoke in the aft cabin shortly after takeoff. They declared an emerg...

Attributes
ACN	811774
Time
Date	200811
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10825 flight time type : 803
ASRS Report	811774
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On initial climb out immediately on gear lever selected up; smoke was smelled by both captain and first officer. Captain called flight attendants who reported heavy smoke smell. As they spoke; visible smoke formed in aft area of cabin; both aft lavatory smoke detectors activated; and the smoke thickened. The captain immediately declared an emergency with intent to return to land and we turned on a downwind heading. The captain took control of aircraft and radios; so the first officer could run the QRH checklist smoke and fumes removal which was completed. The cabin was dumped to our altitude of 4000 ft MSL. Shortly; base turn just outside the marker and a CAT I ILS to landing accomplished. The smoke had dissipated on completion of the QRH checklist. We quickly taxied to the gate so paramedics could attend to a passenger who boarded with her own oxygen. The smoke and situation seriously compounded her breathing situation to erratic. All players were calm and professional from the captain's excellent decision making and leadership; to the flight attendant's response to captain's questions; to departure control for handling our emergency turn to downwind; fire trucks; and paramedics that me us at the gate. Even the passenger should get an atta-boy. Some were stressed a bit; but most; if not all; were thankful to be on ground safely. The smoke had been thick and acrid enough to redden the eyes of passenger in the rear section along with the 2 flight attendants back there. Total flight time: 12 mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 FLIGHT CREW EXPERIENCED SMOKE IN THE AFT CABIN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THEY DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO LAND AT THEIR DEPARTURE AIRPORT.

Narrative: ON INITIAL CLBOUT IMMEDIATELY ON GEAR LEVER SELECTED UP; SMOKE WAS SMELLED BY BOTH CAPT AND FO. CAPT CALLED FLT ATTENDANTS WHO RPTED HVY SMOKE SMELL. AS THEY SPOKE; VISIBLE SMOKE FORMED IN AFT AREA OF CABIN; BOTH AFT LAVATORY SMOKE DETECTORS ACTIVATED; AND THE SMOKE THICKENED. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER WITH INTENT TO RETURN TO LAND AND WE TURNED ON A DOWNWIND HDG. THE CAPT TOOK CTL OF ACFT AND RADIOS; SO THE FO COULD RUN THE QRH CHKLIST SMOKE AND FUMES REMOVAL WHICH WAS COMPLETED. THE CABIN WAS DUMPED TO OUR ALT OF 4000 FT MSL. SHORTLY; BASE TURN JUST OUTSIDE THE MARKER AND A CAT I ILS TO LNDG ACCOMPLISHED. THE SMOKE HAD DISSIPATED ON COMPLETION OF THE QRH CHKLIST. WE QUICKLY TAXIED TO THE GATE SO PARAMEDICS COULD ATTEND TO A PAX WHO BOARDED WITH HER OWN OXYGEN. THE SMOKE AND SITUATION SERIOUSLY COMPOUNDED HER BREATHING SITUATION TO ERRATIC. ALL PLAYERS WERE CALM AND PROFESSIONAL FROM THE CAPT'S EXCELLENT DECISION MAKING AND LEADERSHIP; TO THE FLT ATTENDANT'S RESPONSE TO CAPT'S QUESTIONS; TO DEP CTL FOR HANDLING OUR EMER TURN TO DOWNWIND; FIRE TRUCKS; AND PARAMEDICS THAT ME US AT THE GATE. EVEN THE PAX SHOULD GET AN ATTA-BOY. SOME WERE STRESSED A BIT; BUT MOST; IF NOT ALL; WERE THANKFUL TO BE ON GND SAFELY. THE SMOKE HAD BEEN THICK AND ACRID ENOUGH TO REDDEN THE EYES OF PAX IN THE REAR SECTION ALONG WITH THE 2 FLT ATTENDANTS BACK THERE. TOTAL FLT TIME: 12 MINS.

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.

An MD88 flight crew experienced smoke in the aft cabin shortly after takeoff. They declared an emergency and returned to land at their departure airport.