Narrative:

We were in cruise flight at FL240. We were approximately over the ZZZ1 VOR when we received a 'lavatory smoke' indication on the aircraft's EICAS system. We confirmed that there was smoke in the cabin with the flight attendant as well as with ms. X; a captain 'dead-heading' in the back. We declared an emergency with ATC and wanted to divert to the nearest suitable airport which was ZZZ. I turned the aircraft around 180 degrees per ATC instruction and descended down to 17;000 ft and proceeded directly to ZZZ. We performed the necessary 'memory items' and 'QRH checklists.' we then received descent clearances for ATC and vectors to intercept the localizer for runway 17L. We stated that we were an emergency and that we would be landing on runway 17L; stopping on the runway and evacuating the passengers on the runway. I performed a normal weight landing; stopped the plane; and we performed the 'QRH evacuating and shutdown checklists.' emergency trucks met us on the runway assisted with the evacuation; and inspected the aircraft for smoke/fire. No injuries were reported. The passengers were taken to the terminal and the flight crew stayed with the aircraft until it was moved to a ramp location on the field.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 diverted to nearest suitable airport in response to a LAV SMOKE EICAS message supported by reports of smoke from the Cabin Attendants. Evacuate on runway after landing.

Narrative: We were in cruise flight at FL240. We were approximately over the ZZZ1 VOR when we received a 'Lavatory Smoke' indication on the aircraft's EICAS system. We confirmed that there was smoke in the cabin with the Flight Attendant as well as with Ms. X; a Captain 'dead-heading' in the back. We declared an emergency with ATC and wanted to divert to the nearest suitable airport which was ZZZ. I turned the aircraft around 180 degrees per ATC instruction and descended down to 17;000 FT and proceeded directly to ZZZ. We performed the necessary 'memory items' and 'QRH checklists.' We then received descent clearances for ATC and vectors to intercept the LOC for Runway 17L. We stated that we were an emergency and that we would be landing on Runway 17L; stopping on the runway and evacuating the passengers on the runway. I performed a normal weight landing; stopped the plane; and we performed the 'QRH Evacuating and Shutdown checklists.' Emergency trucks met us on the runway assisted with the evacuation; and inspected the aircraft for smoke/fire. No injuries were reported. The passengers were taken to the terminal and the flight crew stayed with the aircraft until it was moved to a ramp location on the field.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.