What happened
On September 15, 2003, at approximately 08:45 UTC, a Bae146-200 operated by CityJet was performing a commercial flight under IFR conditions from Paris Charles de Gaulle toward Florence. While the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of roughly 25,000 feet, the crew noticed a distinct smell of electrical burning within the galley area. This odor subsequently spread into the cockpit.
In response to the developing situation, the pilot declared an emergency and initiated a diversion to Geneva Airport. The aircraft landed at Geneva without further incident or injury to the 64 passengers or the 5 crew members on board.
The investigation
The investigation focused on identifying the source of the electrical odor reported by the crew. Authorities examined the technical aspects of the aircraft's electrical systems and the specific area where the smell was first detected. Because the technical issue was localized to the front galley and the crew successfully managed the situation through appropriate emergency procedures, the investigation was subsequently closed.