A B737-800 IN CLB AT FL220 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO CABIN CREW RPT OF SIDEWALL AND CABIN FLOOR HOT SPOTS.

Narrative

AFTER TKOF; CABIN AND COCKPIT CREW NOTICED A STRONG BURNING ODOR IN THE CABIN. THE ODOR DISSIPATED WITHIN 30 SECONDS WITHOUT CREW ACTION. A FEW MOMENTS LATER; THE CABIN CREW RPTED A HOT SPOT ON THE ACFT SIDEWALL IN THE VICINITY OF THE OVERWING EXITS. THE CREW INITIATED A RETURN TO ZZZ SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE HOT SPOT SPREAD TO THE ACFT FLOOR. AN EMER WAS DECLARED; FOLLOWED BY AN UNEVENTFUL DSCNT AND LNDG. AFTER LNDG; A SMOKY HAZE WAS RPTED IN THE PAX CABIN. A PAX EVAC WAS INITIATED THROUGH THE FORWARD R DOOR. THE ACFT WAS SECURED AND TOWED TO PARKING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE FLC NEVER DID SEE THE HAZE OR SMELL THE BURNING ODOR THAT WAS RPTED BY THE CABIN CREW. THE RPTR SAID THE FLC DID NOT LEAVE THE COCKPIT TO CHK THE RPTED HOT SPOTS IN THE SIDEWALL OR FLOOR. THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS REMOVED FROM SVC AND ALL PNEUMATIC AND AIR CONDITIONING DUCTING WAS CHKED FOR BROKEN DUCTING; CONNECTIONS AND LEAKS. THE RPTR SAID NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND AND THE AIRPLANE WAS TEST FLOWN WITH NO HOT SPOTS FOUND.