B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Procedure
As a brief history; on our flight the day before on [this aircraft]; upon landing an electrical burning smell was present in the flight deck. The mechanic who was riding with us said that he had been on the aircraft previously and the crew noted the same smell on a prior flight. After block-in; we wrote up the smell in the logbook and it was checked by maintenance. Regarding this flight; loading; push; taxi; and takeoff were uneventful. Captain (CA) was Pilot Flying (PF) and I was Pilot Monitoring (PM). Upon reaching 11;000 feet; we detected the same electrical odor again. The CA's MFD began to cycle on and off with an associated clicking sound. After approximately a dozen cycles; the CRT screen made a loud 'pop' and went blank. The burning smell increased at that time. We asked the mechanic to pull the Circuit Break (CB) for that screen in the interest of safety and he found it had popped on its own. We requested a level off at 16;000 feet and slowed to 250 KIAS in preparation for return. After discussing the matter we agreed that it would be prudent to return and the Captian requested the Smoke; Fire; Fumes QRH. We informed Center and were vectored back to the airport. On base; the First Officer's FMS CDU display showed a few random characters on the screen and then went completely blank. After turning off the runway; the lower EICAS screen went blank as well. The mechanic pulled the CB's for those two screens. We taxied to the north ramp without further incident. Talking with other pilots that have flown this particular airframe; it seems to have a distinct history of these types of failures in recent weeks. Several entries in the logbook confirm that. The cause for these failures needs to be definitively identified and fixed.
I brought this aircraft in the day prior. This was the flight prior to irregularity. While taxiing in; we noticed an electrical burning odor just as we were arriving into the blocks. We wrote this up on the previous log page. Prior to this flight; I had checked the previous log pages and spoken with other Captains that had had the same irregularity in the week; or; weeks prior. On this day the previous FMC deferral was cleared and we were told they replaced the First Officer (FO) CDU. During my departure briefing; I placed an emphasis on our assessment of the maintenance status of the aircraft; the previous write ups and aircraft history. I brought up the electrical odors that we had noticed on the previous morning's block in and briefed that if we were to experience any electrical burning odors after takeoff; we would make an air turn back; run the electrical smoke or fumes QRH and get the aircraft on the ground as soon as possible. The First Officer was in full agreement with the game plan that I presented to Him in my briefing. We departed on the RNAV departure. At approximately 11 thousand feet; my navigational display began to cycle on and off with a loud relay opening and closing sound; this was associated with a strong electrical burning odor. I requested an immediate level off at 16 thousand feet and a turn back to [departure airport] which we were granted by the controller. We ran the smoke; fire or fumes QRH. While running the QRH; our flight mechanic was pulling the associated CB's and as a result; the electrical fumes dissipated quite considerably. By this point; we had been switched over to approach and they asked us the nature of our emergency. I stated that we had experienced electrical fumes; we had run checklist and pulled CB's and the situation was under control; but; we are still returning and requested the visual. On the descent; we programed the aircraft for the return; ran the descent checklist and went over any remaining items that we might have missed just to double check our work. On the base turn; we lost the FO's CDU and then after landing; we lost the Lower EICAS CRT screen. We had contacted [our handler] during our turn back to coordinate our parking and they were waiting for us when we taxied back to the ramp. After landing; the taxi back to the apron was uneventful.My primary concern for this irregularity is the history of this aircraft and the repeat write ups associated with the irregularities.
B767 flight crew experienced an electrical burning odor on departure and elected to return to the departure airport. The Captain's MFD went blank; soon after the First Officer FMS and CDU display went blank. After landing the lower EICAS screen went blank as well.