B757-200
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting; Workload; Time Pressure; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
[We had] fumes in cockpit and forward cabin. [We] smelled strong odor of burning rubber and/or plastic shortly after takeoff. Captain gave control of aircraft to me (First Officer). Captain confirmed with A Flight Attendant same odor in forward cabin. Captain declared emergency with ATC and requested return to field for landing. Both pilots donned oxygen masks. Captain accomplished QRH procedure for SMOKE/FUMES. First Officer continued to fly aircraft to uneventful landing. Captain taxied aircraft to gate. Suspect equipment cooling failure.
During climb at approximately 10;000 MSL; strong rubber; musty odor occurred. No smoke visible. Brief [was] given to flight attendants to return. During checklist for fume removal EICAS message for EQUIP COOLING OVHT with associated warning horn in E&E compartment could be heard. ATC vectored us for a very quick approach and landing. All checklists were completed just outside the marker and uneventful landing was made. Odor was gone during taxi; but Equip Cooling message still on and E&E warning horn could still be heard. IRS's turned off during taxi. Maintenance met aircraft; conversations with Maintenance; Customer Service; Scheduling; Dispatch and Chief Pilot were held over the next hour.
A B757-200 crew declared an emergency and returned to the departure airport when a strong rubber smell was detected after takeoff followed shortly by the EQUIP COOLING OVHT alert caused by a Recirculation Fan failure.