Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General Evacuated; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
During taxiing in to gate; just being another 2 turns to the assigned ramp spot; AFT LAV SMOKE warning message was displayed on ED-1 (Electronic Display). PIC (Pilot in Command) had FO (First Officer) call the FAs (Flight Attendants) and as PIC was pulling into ramp area; FAs reported there is some smoke. PIC stopped the aircraft just off the taxiway. As FO was talking to FAs; PIC started smelling some burning smell into flight deck. As FO comes back off intercom; he agreed that he smelled burning. Having the report of smoke in cabin from FAs and smell; PIC considered this was real and because it is reaching to the front of the aircraft; the smoke could fill up the cabin really quickly. PIC decided to initiate emergency evacuation and called for evacuation QRC (Quick Reference Checklist). Evacuation was made through MCD (Main Cabin Door) and 2 over wing exits. Fire Chief; Airline Ops; Airport Police came to aircraft. Passengers were safely escorted to the main terminal building. Line Maintenance was called by PIC and determined later that the aircraft was safe to be towed to the gate and it got towed. PIC called all the applicable departments and personnel and left the aircraft.There is no final analysis of how the smoke and smell came out at the time of reporting this. Maintenance was suspecting that the Left Pack may have been a cause. Evacuation necessity felt true after the smoke report and smell.There is no way to avoid the system to get out of hand to avoid warning msg. It could be discussed that it had been better to do expedited deplaning after the smoke dissipated at post de-energizing/shut down aircraft and after evacuation; but right at the moment of the smoke and smell; PIC considered that evacuation was the best course of action to minimize the smoke inhalation and other injuries; if that was the case by doing slow deplaning.
Air Carrier Captain reported observing AFT LAV SMOKE warning message during taxi. Flight crew stopped aircraft and initiated an evacuation.