MULTIPLE CABIN ATTENDANTS' RPT; MD80; DFW-SAT. SMOKE IN AFT CABIN. RETURN TO DFW. NO EVAC NECESSARY. FIRE TRUCKS. FIREMEN FOUND LEAK UNDER BELLY OF PLANE.

Narrative

PROMPTLY AFTER TKOF; FUMES AND SMOKE WERE APPARENT IN MAIN CABIN. FLT ATTENDANT #4 CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANT IN CHARGE AND SHE ADVISED CAPT. WITHIN SECONDS; ATC AND THE CAPT DECIDED TO RETURN TO DFW AND WE LANDED IN 4 MINS. FIREFIGHTERS DID NOT FIND ANYTHING THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY WRONG LOOKING AT THE ACFT FROM THE EXTERIOR. WE RETURNED TO A GATE; AND FIREFIGHTERS FOUND A TYPE OF LEAK THAT MIGHT'VE PRODUCED THE STRONG FUMES AND SMOKE. WE WERE ABLE TO ATTAIN ANOTHER ACFT AND PROCEEDED TO OUR DEST. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT WHEN THE CAPT OPENED THE COCKPIT DOOR TO SEE ABOUT THE SMOKE; HE SAW THE SMOKE CREEPING FORWARD. ATC CLRED THEM TO LAND IMMEDIATELY AND THEY LANDED IN LESS THAN 4 MINS. HE TOLD THE CREW THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE AN EVAC; BUT THAT THEY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR ONE; JUST IN CASE. 2 WOMEN; WHO WERE TRAVELING WITH THEIR CHILDREN; GOT REALLY SCARED; AND GRABBED THE FLT ATTENDANTS' HAND AND WOULDN'T LET GO FOR LNDG. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE FINALLY ABLE TO LET THEIR HANDS GO AND GOT BACK TO THEIR JUMP SEATS JUST IN TIME FOR LNDG. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 465020: I COULD SEE THE SMOKE IN REAR 1/2 OF AIRPLANE; ROUGHLY 10 MINS TILL LNDG. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 463319: CLBING AT 6000 FT; FLT ATTENDANT #2 INFORMED FLT ATTENDANT #1 OF SMOKE IN CABIN AFT. ALL FLT ATTENDANTS HAVE THEIR SAFETY MANUAL READY IF EVAC BECAME NECESSARY. PAX WERE CALM AND GRATEFUL WHEN DEPLANING.