Q400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting; Time Pressure; Distraction
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; General Declared Emergency; General Evacuated
Aircraft; Human Factors
After pushing off the gate and taxiing for departure the aft Flight Attendant called to indicate that she heard a pop in the galley. She described this as a 'blown fuse' and indicated that she smelled an odor from the coffee pot area of the galley. The Captain and I decided to taxi into the runup area to address the situation with Maintenance. While on a taxiway short of Bravo we received another call from {one of} the flight attendants stating that she smelled and saw smoke and that she heard the popping noise again. The decision was made to evacuate the airplane in the runup area due to the smoke. I declared an emergency with Ramp Control and asked for fire/rescue assistance. We told the flight attendants that we would be evacuating the aircraft. We parked the aircraft in the runup area and ran the on ground emergency QRC. The Captain made the evacuation announcement and I opened the main cabin door and lead the passengers upwind of the aircraft. At this time fire/rescue vehicles arrived.
We were met by Crash Fire Rescue personal immediately who took care of the passengers as well. Upon opening the cockpit door we noticed no signs of smoke and no passengers commented on any signs of smoke.
After a Q400 Flight Attendant twice reported a popping sound accompanied by an odor and smoke in the aircraft's aft galley; the Captain parked the taxiing aircraft; declared an emergency and evacuated the passengers.