Incident Overview
During the initial takeoff climb, the flight crew encountered smoke in both the cockpit and passenger compartment. The pilot-in-command declared an emergency, returned to the departure airport, and commanded an emergency evacuation of all passengers and flight crew. During the evacuation, two aft emergency slides did not deploy.
Examination Findings
Examination of the airplane revealed that the smoke and fumes had entered the airplane through the air conditioning system. This occurred as a result of a wash solution remaining in the left engine longer than required during an engine wash performed the day before the incident. While the engine was being washed, the starter failed, and the solution remained in the engine for more than the required 20 minutes while the starter was being changed.
Emergency Slide Issue
Examination of the aft emergency slides disclosed that the installation safety pins were still installed, preventing their deployment during the evacuation.
Sequence of Events
The events began when the flight crew initiated a takeoff and during climb noticed smoke. After declaring an emergency, the aircraft returned to the departure airport. The pilot-in-command then ordered an emergency evacuation. The failure of the two aft slides to deploy was traced to the safety pins left in place, which are designed to prevent inadvertent deployment during maintenance.