A DC9-30 IN CRUISE AT FL310 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO SMOKE AND ELECTRICAL ODOR IN THE COCKPIT CAUSED BY AN AUTOPLT PEDESTAL CONTROLLER MALFUNCTION.

Narrative

DURING CRUISE AT FL310; 40 DME E OF CLE; A STRONG ACRID SMOKE ODOR WAS SMELLED; AND VISUALLY A WISPY SMOKE COMING FROM THE AUTOPLT VERT SPD WHEEL. CREW DECLARED AN EMER AND MADE AN EMER LNDG AT CLE. CREW ACCOMPLISHED THE EMER CHKLIST FOR ELECTRICAL/FIRE AND SMOKE; AS WELL AS SMOKE REMOVAL CHKLISTS. LANDED AT CLE; WAS MET BY CLE CFR. CFR BOARDED ACFT AND VERIFIED SMOKE SMELL; AND CHKED OUT THE ACFT COCKPIT AND E&E COMPARTMENTS FOR FIRE AND SMOKE; FOUND NONE; THEN TOOK CREW AND CHKED CREW FOR SMOKE INHALATION. CREW CHKED OUT OK. MAINT FOUND THAT THE AUTOPLT CONTROLLER HAD BEEN SMOKING AND WAS HOT; THEN DISCONNECTED IT AND REMOVED FOR INSPECTION AND FOUND TO BE INOP. THE ACFT WAS THEN REDISPATCHED AFTER MAINT WAS PERFORMED; WAS DISPATCHED PER MEL TO ILN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE WISPS OF SMOKE AND HVY ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR CAME FROM THE AUTOPLT PEDESTAL CTLR. THE RPTR SAID STRANGELY THE AUTOPLT CONTINUED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE RPTR STATED NO CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE TRIPPED DURING THIS TIME BUT THE CREW TOOK ACTION AND PULLED ALL BREAKERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AUTOPLT AND HAD CTL OF THE SMOKE. THE RPTR SAID THE AUTOPLT CTLR HAD RECENTLY BEEN OVERHAULED.