An A320 flight attendant reported a burnt popcorn smell around row 25 as the aircraft began its desc...

Attributes
ACN	951992
Time
Date	201106
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 270 Flight Crew Total 18900 Flight Crew Type 4500
Person 2
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 220 Flight Crew Total 13000 Flight Crew Type 9000
Events
Anomaly	Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor

Narrative:

While on the arrival we got a call from flight attendants that they smelled something burning in the aft cabin. We asked them to verify the kind of smell and they said it was not like electrical smell; but it smelled like burnt popcorn. The first officer was communicating with them; so I asked him to have the jumpseating commuter pilot to verify the smell. The jumpseater verified that there was a burning smell; and all of them verified there was no smoke associated with the smell. I asked ATC for expeditious handling since both the first officer and I did not perceive this as an emergency situation. We just did not want a long downwind to final. ATC apparently declared an emergency for us and assigned us runway 7. After acquiring the field ATC cleared us for a visual to runway 7. The approach; landing and taxi in were uneventful. Emergency response vehicles met the aircraft and followed us to the gate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An A320 Flight Attendant reported a burnt popcorn smell around row 25 as the aircraft began its descent for landing. The flight was expedited to the airport; ATC declared an emergency and after a normal landing the smell dissipated.

Narrative: While on the arrival we got a call from flight attendants that they smelled something burning in the AFT cabin. We asked them to verify the kind of smell and they said it was not like electrical smell; but it smelled like burnt popcorn. The First Officer was communicating with them; so I asked him to have the jumpseating commuter pilot to verify the smell. The jumpseater verified that there was a burning smell; and all of them verified there was no smoke associated with the smell. I asked ATC for expeditious handling since both the First Officer and I did not perceive this as an emergency situation. We just did not want a long downwind to final. ATC apparently declared an emergency for us and assigned us Runway 7. After acquiring the field ATC cleared us for a visual to Runway 7. The Approach; landing and taxi in were uneventful. Emergency response vehicles met the aircraft and followed us to the gate.

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.

An A320 flight attendant reported a burnt popcorn smell around row 25 as the aircraft began its descent for landing. The flight was expedited to the airport; ATC declared an emergency and after a normal landing the smell dissipated.