What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft landed rwy 3 after reporting smoke in the cabin. The ARFF responded and the aircraft taxied to the ramp without incident. As reported by the captain, log page #7886922, block 1: "left generator tripped off line at takeoff, qrh procedures run, generator reset normally. Approx. 3 minutes later we were notified of light smoke in the forward part of the cabin. Returned to orf, landing weight 112440 lbs, vertical rate +OR-300 ft/min at touchdown". The captain also stated that the smoke never got to the cockpit, but once the cockpit door was opened, after arrival, he could see and smell the smoke. He did not, however, qualify the scent of the smoke. The deplaning of the passengers took place at the gate, through the jetway, and there were no injuries or panic. A usair mechanic had taken a preliminary look at the engine, and had found a "charred" phase wire, at the csd generator (as reported by the station manager). There was a previous history for this aircraft's electrical system, and it was on an engineering watch. Maintenance was having difficulty keeping the left and right generator loads balanced. The system had previously been reported as carrying a loa d of 110 amps on the left side, and only 40 to 50 on the right side. Ewr Continental maintenance personnel changed the left generator, the firewall disconnect "b-phase" cable (heat damaged), the generator feeder cable (heat damaged), under the cabin floor, the #1 tru and battery charger (heat damaged), under the cabin floor, and the generator control panel. An overweight landing inspection was performed. And the aircraft satisfactorily test flown. The problem has not reoccurred, since the aircraft has been returned to service. All removed parts have been quarantined, for further examination.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT LANDED RWY 3 AFTER REPORTING SMOKE IN THE CABIN. THE ARFF RESPONDED AND THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED TO THE RAMP WITHOUT INCIDENT. AS REPORTED BY THE CAPTAIN, LOG PAGE #7886922, BLOCK 1: "LEFT GENERATOR TRIPPED OFF LINE AT TAKEOFF, QRH PROCEDURES RUN, GENERATOR RESET NORMALLY. APPROX. 3 MINUTES LATER WE WERE NOTIFIED OF LIGHT SMOKE IN THE FORWARD PART OF THE CABIN. RETURNED TO ORF, LANDING WEIGHT 112440 LBS, VERTICAL RATE +OR-300 FT/MIN AT TOUCHDOWN". THE CAPTAIN ALSO STATED THAT THE SMOKE NEVER GOT TO THE COCKPIT, BUT ONCE THE COCKPIT DOOR WAS OPENED, AFTER ARRIVAL, HE COULD SEE AND SMELL THE SMOKE. HE DID NOT, HOWEVER, QUALIFY THE SCENT OF THE SMOKE. THE DEPLANING OF THE PASSENGERS TOOK PLACE AT THE GATE, THROUGH THE JETWAY, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PANIC. A USAIR MECHANIC HAD TAKEN A PRELIMINARY LOOK AT THE ENGINE, AND HAD FOUND A "CHARRED" PHASE WIRE, AT THE CSD GENERATOR (AS REPORTED BY THE STATION MANAGER). THERE WAS A PREVIOUS HISTORY FOR THIS AIRCRAFT'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND IT WAS ON AN ENGINEERING WATCH. MAINTENANCE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY KEEPING THE LEFT AND RIGHT GENERATOR LOADS BALANCED. THE SYSTEM HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPORTED AS CARRYING A LOA D OF 110 AMPS ON THE LEFT SIDE, AND ONLY 40 TO 50 ON THE RIGHT SIDE. EWR CONTINENTAL MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL CHANGED THE LEFT GENERATOR, THE FIREWALL DISCONNECT "B-PHASE" CABLE (HEAT DAMAGED), THE GENERATOR FEEDER CABLE (HEAT DAMAGED), UNDER THE CABIN FLOOR, THE #1 TRU AND BATTERY CHARGER (HEAT DAMAGED), UNDER THE CABIN FLOOR, AND THE GENERATOR CONTROL PANEL. AN OVERWEIGHT LANDING INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED. AND THE AIRCRAFT SATISFACTORILY TEST FLOWN. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT REOCCURRED, SINCE THE AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN RETURNED TO SERVICE. ALL REMOVED PARTS HAVE BEEN QUARANTINED, FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.