Air Carrier flight crew reported a temporary electrical fume event during cruise in the forward cabin near a passenger seat. The fumes dissipated and the flight continued with no further issues.
Synopsis
Air Carrier flight crew reported a temporary electrical fume event during cruise in the forward cabin near a passenger seat. The fumes dissipated and the flight continued with no further issues.
Narrative
While in cruise flight not long after coasting in over Location A; I was on my in-flight rest break when I smelled electrical fumes. I left my break seat and entered the first class galley to find one of the Flight Attendants (FA) on the interphone. He said a burning smell had been reported by several passengers and he was trying to ascertain where it was coming from; he told me that no ovens were in use and so he was sure it was not coming from the galley. We soon learned that a short burst of smoke had emanated from the bottom of the section seat pod at XXL. Both the passenger in [seat] XXL and the one seated across the aisle had seen the smoke. I could see that there was no longer any smoke visible. I called the cockpit using the interphone and talked with one of the First Officers (FO) to learn what they had been told by the Flight Attendants examining the seat and to discuss what measures to take. At the same time I was being told that the passenger in [seat] XXL could not find his phone and that was floated as a possible source of the smoke if it had been lost down in the seat and damaged. I instructed the Flight Attendants not to move the seat; and see if they could locate the phone or see anything else. The phone was soon located undamaged on one of the seat pod shelves nowhere near the smoke point of origin and was ruled out as the cause of the smoke. The smell from the smoke had already largely dissipated and the Flight Attendants continued to search for a source of the smoke. I also continued to communicate with the cockpit; who kept dispatch informed. Ultimately no obvious cause for the smoke could be seen in the seat pod and no further smoke or fumes appeared or were smelled. The passenger was moved to a different seat in economy; and the Flight Attendants were instructed to leave the seat pod in the position it was in and to continue to monitor it going forward. I told the First Officer (FO) to make a maintenance log entry and the flight continued to the destination.
Second reporter narrative
Captain just left the flight deck for his rest break. Myself and the International Relief Officer smelled a strange odor. International Relief Officer called the Flight Attendant's (FA) to determine if they smelled something or had burned a meal in the oven. At first they said no; then later they said there was a smell in the first class section. They said someone may have dropped a phone in seat XXL and another passenger had seen a little smoke come out of the seat. The FA's investigated and said the phone was not an issue and there were no signs of fire or smoke. The passenger was moved and the seat was not manipulated any further in case it was the source of the smoke. The situation was monitored; there was no further odors. The flight continued to destination without incident.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.