B737-800
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 441
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
We had just completed boarding. The First Officer and I were in the cockpit just waiting to receive our [weight and balance numbers] for takeoff. About 10 minutes prior to departure; the cabin and the cockpit began to fill with a very pungent acrid smell. I looked at the First Officer and said; 'Do you smell that?' He said; 'Yeah.' About that time; we got two dings in the cockpit from the Flight Attendant in the back of the airplane. I immediately got up from my seat and went to the back of the airplane. The acrid smell was very strong throughout the cabin. I immediately told the A Flight Attendant; 'I am going to get everyone off the airplane.' I then turned to the passengers and made a very loud verbal announcement. I said 'Everyone; please leave your stuff; and let's get off the airplane.' I then turned to the cockpit and directed the First Officer to call Operations and let them know what was going on and to get a Supervisor to the gate and to call Maintenance. I turned off the pack; the APU; and the recirculation fans. I then went to the back of the airplane; just to make sure all of our passengers were calm and to reassure them while they were deplaning the airplane. Maintenance arrived at the airplane and began to diagnose the problem. The likely source was a burned out recirculation fan. Once the airplane was deemed safe by myself; Maintenance; and the Customer Service Supervisor; we allowed the passengers; five at a time; to come back down and retrieve their belongings that were left behind. Dispatch had found us a new airplane; and gate. The rest of the flight went off without any further problems.
B737-800 Captain reported experiencing an acrid fumes smell in the passenger cabin at the completion of passenger boarding.