B767-300 and 300 ER
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Company Policy; Weather
After a maintenance delay at the gate due to replacing the battery and battery charger; we had smoke and fumes in the cockpit about three hours into flight at FL370. I was a Check Airman in the jump seat observing the Captain and crew perform the diversion. Crew O2 masks and goggles were put on for divert. First of all the aircraft had no ground cooling air while it sat at the gate prior to departure and was extremely hot when I was first entered the aircraft. The battery and battery charger CB's popped and Maintenance ended up changing both items. Upon arrival at the diversion airport; there were really no ground personnel that could handle a B767. We sat for quite a few minutes after landing waiting for arrangements to be made so we could get a door open. I know there have been cut backs; but this airport is a major safety divert airport for our operations to South America and need to maintain some sort of emergency items. We got a Main Battery Charger EICAS status message right after the smell and smoke started. The managers of the 767 fleet have been putting out that 'status messages' are no big thing and in fact have removed these messages from our operating manual. Let me say; that message does mean something to me; and I would like to know from Boeing; what items make it comes on in flight. There may be some causes that are not important; and there may be some items that are important.
B767 Check Airman reports the battery and battery charger circuit breakers popped during preflight and Maintenance had to change both items. Three hours into the flight we got a Main Battery Charger EICAS status message right after the smell and smoke started and diverted to a suitable airport.