MD80 CREW HAD SMOKE; FUMES IN THE CABIN AFTER TKOF.

Narrative

ACFT RETURNS JFK DUE SMOKE/FUMES IN COCKPIT/CABIN. ABOUT 3 OR 4 MINS AFTER A NORMAL TKOF FROM JFK; AND AT 7000 FT; THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE COCKPIT AND RPTED A SMELL OF SMOKE AND A HAZE DEVELOPING IN THE CABIN. I NOTICED THE SMELL IN THE COCKPIT AND A VERY LIGHT HAZE IN FRONT OF THE FLT INSTS. AFTER A SHORT TROUBLESHOOTING PERIOD; IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHKLIST; WE COULD NOT ISOLATE THE PROB AND THE HAZE AND SMOKE APPEARED TO BE INCREASING. FLT ATTENDANTS SAID THAT THE PAX WERE BECOMING VERY NERVOUS AND THE SOUND IN A VERY SENIOR FLT ATTENDANT'S VOICE INDICATED TO ME THAT THE SIT WAS DETERIORATING. AT THIS POINT; WE DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO JFK WHERE WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL OVERWT LNDG. TOTAL FLT TIME WAS 12 MINS OFF TO ON. AFTER LNDG; WE TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND STOPPED THE ACFT. WE HAD CFR CREW INSPECT THE EXTERIOR OF THE ACFT; THEN FOLLOW US TO THE GATE WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. AT THE GATE; THERE WAS STILL A HAZE IN THE CABIN AND THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT AND; TO MY KNOWLEDGE; 1 PAX COMPLAINED OF EYE IRRITATION. THE PAX DENIED MEDICAL ATTN WHEN OFFERED. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SPECIAL NOTE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY JOB THE CREW DID DURING THIS FLT. THE FO; HIS SECOND FLT AFTER IOE; WHO WAS THE PLT AT THE CTLS UNTIL THE ACTUAL LNDG; PERFORMED LIKE A SEASONED VETERAN OF THE MD80. THANKS ESPECIALLY TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS WHO HAD TO DEAL WITH PAX WHO WERE ALREADY UPTIGHT AND ANXIOUS DUE TO AN EARLIER SECURITY PROB DURING BOARDING (WE DEPARTED 1.5 HRS LATE). THEY WERE COURTEOUS; PROFICIENT AND THEY PERFORMED THEIR MOST IMPORTANT JOB AS A SAFETY PROFESSIONAL FLAWLESSLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT RPTS MAINT FOUND AN OIL LEAK IN THE APU THAT WAS CONTAMINATING THE PNEUMATIC SYS WITH APU TURBINE OIL. THIS THEN CAUSED THE RPTED SMOKE AND FUMES. AFTER THE OIL LEAK WAS REPAIRED; MAINT 'BURNED OUT' THE SYS. THE PROB HAS NOT RECURRED.