B767-200
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation - Speed All Types; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Evacuated; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Approximately 15 minutes after takeoff during climb to FL390; and while climbing through FL340; the First Officer and I noticed an acrid smell in the cockpit. The First Officer and I talked about it very briefly for less than a minute as we tried to identify what the smell could be. As the fumes increased in intensity; I commanded the crew to go on oxygen. The First Officer continued to fly the aircraft and I opened the QRH to the Smoke; Fire or Fumes checklist. We notified ARTCC and asked to land at the nearest suitable airport. ARTCC recommended ZZZ2. We evaluated that as a good destination. ARTCC immediately gave us a vector direct and a descent. With changes to the FMC for the diversion and approach; we were able to get to step 20 in the QRH checklist as we approached 10000 feet. I elected at that point to concentrate on safely navigating and flying the aircraft to the approach and landing at ZZZ2 and did not have time to proceed further in the QRH. I did have time as we passed 12000 feet; to very briefly pull my mask slightly away from my face and sample a short breath of air from the cockpit to see if 'Smoke or fumes continue or are increasing' as stated in the QRH. The fumes were still present. At no time did the crew notice visual indications of smoke. To expedite our descent and maintain an expedited profile to ZZZ2; we did go above 250 KIAS below 10;000 feet. At approximately 4000 feet we were below 250 KIAS. We were given priority with vectors to Runway XXL at ZZZ2. The approach was flown and landed normally. The aircraft safely exited the runway at the first available taxiway. The aircraft was stopped immediately after clearing the runway. The crew ran the Evacuation Checklist; where crash; fire; rescue personnel and equipment met the aircraft. The crew noted the same fume smell again as we exited the cockpit; but not in the aft compartment as we left the cockpit and approached the L1 door. We opened the L1 door; and because we did not smell fumes at that position; to avoid injury; we elected to use the air stair that the fire department had immediately available outside the aircraft. In the past; I have had electrical fires on aircraft that have the smell of ozone. That was not the smell. It was also not a petroleum type smell. I can only characterize it as an acrid chemical smell that I have never encountered before. I cannot say for sure weather it is a smell associated with a chemical fire or simply chemical fumes.
During climbout about 15 minutes after departure while climbing through about FL340 both the Captain and I noticed a non-normal odor on the flight deck. This odor to me reminded me of a similar smell I have encountered in my past when I was flying an aircraft for a different operator that had burning insulation on miscellaneous wiring. After assessing the smell for about a minute; the decision was made to don oxygen masks and divert to the nearest suitable airport. At no point; did I see any visible smoke. As it was my leg flying; I had the aircraft and also took the radios so the Captain would work on running the QRH. I notified Center and advised them with the nature of the emergency and advised that we would need to divert to the nearest airport. Center advised that ZZZ2 was nearby and the Captain and I agreed that ZZZ2 would be the best option. We are given a heading and a descent as we turn towards ZZZ2. Meanwhile the Captain I had started working through the 'Smoke; Fire or Fumes' QRH section. At some point in QRH the crew is directed to see if the fumes are increasing. I stayed on O2 the entire time as I was Pilot Flying and the Captain stated that the smell of the unknown fumes had in fact increased in intensity. As we are in an expeditious descent as pilot flying; I had kept the speed at above 250 KIAS under 10000 FT as a part of our emergency authority to get the plane on the ground in the soonest amount of time. We set up for the ILS into ZZZ2 and were given vectors to the final approach course and tracked the ILS in for a normal landing. After touchdown; a left turnoff the runway was made and after the parking brake was set; the 'Evacuation Checklist' was completed. As we leave the flight deck and head towards the L1 door; I noticed that there was no odor aft of the cockpit door. We vacate the aircraft via a set of mobile airstairs and wait as the fire crew clear the aircraft. After the all-clear was given and during a conversation with the fire crew; they had mentioned to me that they could still faintly smell the odor that we experienced.
B767 flight crew reported a diversion due to a fume event during flight.