Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
At level cruise at FL360 MFD 2 (non flying pilot) flashed red then went blank. Immediately after this happened an intense odor resembling that of electrical fire or smoke filled the cockpit. We went through the memory items for Cabin Fire or Smoke; and consulted the QRH. We ran the QRH Cabin Fire or Smoke checklist. The odor continued to increase and it was agreed that we should divert to the nearest airport; as we could not definitively pinpoint the location of the odor with reference to a fire; or that any point of heat was able to be extinguished.We spoke with ATC and they assigned us direct to [a nearby airport]. Although we were asked if we wanted emergency [status]; we were still running our QRH checklist and trying to determine what our options were; so we declined. I believe ATC [treated] us as an emergency aircraft.We had a normal landing; although overweight; and had fire department personnel search the outside of the aircraft for signs of fire or smoke damage before taxiing to the gate and deplaning the passengers.The fire department entered the cockpit once we were parked and noted the smell and said 'something was definitely fire related up here.' Contract maintenance confirmed that the MFD 2 CRT was the source of the heat related odor; but the wires associated were not. We MEL'd MFD 2; and continued on with the flight. When we first smelled the heat/fire related odor; we knew that we were likely to divert very soon. We worked with ATC to descend to the nearest airport with fire and rescue capabilities; in the event the odor we smelled led to a bigger fire/flame event. Although we were treated as an emergency aircraft; we complied with ATC instructions.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
EMB-145XR flight crew reported diverting to an alternate airport after the First Officer's MFD failed and they noticed an electrical smoke odor.