Regional Jet 900 (CRJ900)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting
Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
Immediately after takeoff I was in the middle of responding to a call from the Tower when we received an emergency call from a flight attendant advising the cabin was filled with smoke and an electrical burning smell. I advised we would turn back to the airport; plan to land in the next few minutes and to inform the passengers of our intentions. I advised the flying pilot and declared an emergency with Departure Control; requesting vectors back to land and ARFF. I set up for the approach; calculated performance; ran checklists and communicated on the radios while the First Officer continued to fly. Once established inbound I called the flight attendants who said the smoke and smell were dissipating. I said we would be on the ground momentarily and we would not plan to evacuate. After landing we taxied off the runway and had ARFF check the outside of the aircraft for anything concerning. I told the passengers to please stand by then talked to the flight attendants who said the smoke had dissipated and they felt it was safe to taxi to the gate. I advised the passengers [of our status] and we taxied to the gate where the passengers deplaned through the jetway. I had ARFF confirm the safe condition of the plane then advised Dispatch; Maintenance Control; Operations; etc. I was very pleased with the response of our whole crew. The flight attendants effectively addressed a very stressful situation with professionalism and efficiency. They communicated well with the passengers; keeping them apprised of the situation and calm in the midst of it. They worked together well and I am proud of them and pleased with the outcome. If we were in a different situation--cruise altitude lets say--I could see doing more investigation to pinpoint the problem as we were setting up to land. But at 2;000 AGL with your cabin crew telling you the cabin is filled with smoke that smells like burning wires; with a good runway right behind you I think we made the right choice. To fly away from the airport; thinking it's probably a pack then determining it's not; is not a situation I wanted to be in. The flight was 11 minutes long and the passengers; crew and aircraft are all safe. That's a successful mission in my book.
Did declare an emergency.
When the flight attendants reported a smoke filled cabin immediately after takeoff the flight crew of a CRJ-900 declared an emergency and returned to their departure aiport where they landed safely.