Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure; Situational Awareness; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action; General Release Refused / Aircraft Not Accepted
Aircraft
At approximately 5;500 FT; the Flight Attendant called the cockpit to tell us there was smoke in the cabin and that other passengers see it as well around rows 12-17. At this time we asked to level off at 7;000 FT and declared an emergency. The Flight Attendant said that the smoke had disappeared but we continued with the emergency landing back at our departure airport. We were cleared for the visual Runway 28. Exited the runway and pulled into the pad for a visual inspection of the aircraft by the rescue team. They reported no outside issues to be noted and we continued to the gate; where we deplaned. It was an overweight landing by approximately 800 lbs.
The Reporter had not been told the smoke's source. Passengers reported different smells. One said an electrical odor; another reported a rubber smell. That aircraft was taken out of service and the crew continued the trip on another aircraft.
An EMB145 crew declared an emergency and returned to the departure airport after the Flight Attendant reported cabin smoke during the climb after takeoff. The smoke's odor was described as rubber or electrical in nature.