What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Flight 510 iad to lax diverted to pit due to smell in the cabin around seat rows 4 to 7. At about 10,000 feet and climbing the smell was first noticed by an inflight team member and then disappeared. Later at about 30,000 feet the smell returned. The in-flight team member reported it to be like electric or plastic smell and that it was strong. The captain decided to divert to pit for investigation. The smell again disappeared before arrival at pit. Remedial action at pit: accomplished visual inspection of e/e compartment, fwd cargo bin, cabin ceiling panels and psu's in affected area. No findings reference amm 25-23-41-04, tsm 24-00-00-810-823. Accomplished cabin temp cont sys test. Ops ok per 21-63-00-710-004. Placed ife sys inop as precaution. The aircraft was retunred to service and operated pit-lax-sfo-sea-lax with no further occurrence. Further inspections/checks were carried out and include the following: 1. Floorboards 231QF and 231VF removed for visual inspection of ife equipment of seat rows 4-7, a-f. 2. Inspection report: c/w rma inspected tdl area and clusters with floorboards removed including vsebs, cluster fans, wiring and inseat power supply boxes. Inspected underseat floor disconnect boxes. No defects found. 3. Ife cb's restored and system power turned on. 4. Operated system for 5 hours. All ops check normal iaw mm 44-27-01. The ife was returned to service and is operating normally.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) FLIGHT 510 IAD TO LAX DIVERTED TO PIT DUE TO SMELL IN THE CABIN AROUND SEAT ROWS 4 TO 7. AT ABOUT 10,000 FEET AND CLIMBING THE SMELL WAS FIRST NOTICED BY AN INFLIGHT TEAM MEMBER AND THEN DISAPPEARED. LATER AT ABOUT 30,000 FEET THE SMELL RETURNED. THE IN-FLIGHT TEAM MEMBER REPORTED IT TO BE LIKE ELECTRIC OR PLASTIC SMELL AND THAT IT WAS STRONG. THE CAPTAIN DECIDED TO DIVERT TO PIT FOR INVESTIGATION. THE SMELL AGAIN DISAPPEARED BEFORE ARRIVAL AT PIT. REMEDIAL ACTION AT PIT: ACCOMPLISHED VISUAL INSPECTION OF E/E COMPARTMENT, FWD CARGO BIN, CABIN CEILING PANELS AND PSU'S IN AFFECTED AREA. NO FINDINGS REFERENCE AMM 25-23-41-04, TSM 24-00-00-810-823. ACCOMPLISHED CABIN TEMP CONT SYS TEST. OPS OK PER 21-63-00-710-004. PLACED IFE SYS INOP AS PRECAUTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETUNRED TO SERVICE AND OPERATED PIT-LAX-SFO-SEA-LAX WITH NO FURTHER OCCURRENCE. FURTHER INSPECTIONS/CHECKS WERE CARRIED OUT AND INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: 1. FLOORBOARDS 231QF AND 231VF REMOVED FOR VISUAL INSPECTION OF IFE EQUIPMENT OF SEAT ROWS 4-7, A-F. 2. INSPECTION REPORT: C/W RMA INSPECTED TDL AREA AND CLUSTERS WITH FLOORBOARDS REMOVED INCLUDING VSEBS, CLUSTER FANS, WIRING AND INSEAT POWER SUPPLY BOXES. INSPECTED UNDERSEAT FLOOR DISCONNECT BOXES. NO DEFECTS FOUND. 3. IFE CB'S RESTORED AND SYSTEM POWER TURNED ON. 4. OPERATED SYSTEM FOR 5 HOURS. ALL OPS CHECK NORMAL IAW MM 44-27-01. THE IFE WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE AND IS OPERATING NORMALLY.