Date: 202110
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class B ZZZ; Class E ZZZ1
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Human factors: Troubleshooting; Workload; Time Pressure
Second reporter function: Pilot Flying; First Officer
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Detector: Person Flight Attendant; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Aircraft Equipment Problem Dissipated; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: I was the Pilot Monitoring while on an Initial Operating Instruction flight training with a new First Officer (FO).  During climb out of ZZZ on the ZZZZZ7 Departure Procedure; a smoldering singe smell  resembling an electrical or wire insulation became apparent to me at approximately 8;000 feet.  As we climbed through 10;000 feet; the smell became very strong; and my FO and I mentioned the smell simultaneously.  I called my flight attendant and inquired if she also smelled the fumes; to which she said; 'yes it is pretty strong.'  I asked her to check areas of potential fire including the forward closet; galley; lavatory and cargo areas. I requested to stop my climb at 12;000 feet; notified ATC about the fumes resembling a potential fire.  We also requested to return to the airport in ZZZ; and [requested priority handling] and descended to 8;000 feet under ATC clearance.                                                                                                      We notified the flight attendant we would be returning to the field in about 10 minutes and to expect a briefing shortly. I elected for the FO to continue flying the aircraft.  Given his experience level I continued communication with ATC; ran checks; and coordinated with the flight attendant. The FO and I donned our O2 Masks and ran the smoke evacuation QRC/QRH checklist.  After that initial check was complete I coordinated a report with the flight attendant; ACARS dispatched about the return to field; and made a brief passenger announcement.  By this time; we had an ATIS; approach and landing data for an approach to ZZZ; and were on a about 12 mile base to turn for ILS XXR into ZZZ.  I briefly looked at the smoke fumes checklist as well.  Given the time to landing; it became apparent there would be no time to diagnose the source of the fumes and we already 'vented' the cabin.  All circuit breakers were in and systems performed normally.  I elected to stop that check; take the controls from the FO; and make an overweight landing in ZZZ.  Priority personnel had been notified and were waiting to inspect the aircraft.  Upon [arrival] no reasonable indications of external fire or smoke; I taxied the aircraft to the gate with Crash Fire Rescue following.  After shutdown; passengers were deplaned normally with no known injury to passengers or aircraft damage.


Second narrative: We departed runway XXR on the ZZZZZ7 departure after making the initial turn direct to ZZZZZ and climbing I began to smell what was a burning wire or a rubber insulation smell. I took note as PF and continued to climb through 8;000 feet. When we approach closer to 12;000 feet the smell was extremely strong and that is when I questioned the Captain if he too was smelling the burning smell. After confirming this; the Captain called the flight attendant who also confirmed this smell coming from the forward part of the aircraft. After confirming our suspicions; the flight attendant began searching in the forward part of the aircraft and the rear to observe the baggage compartment. The Captain told me to keep flight controls and he began to observe systems pages and the circuit breakers. We saw nothing; which we began running checklists in the QRH. I programmed the approach back into ZZZ; the Captain requested priority handling and from there we donned our oxygen masks. After confirming crew communications; I got the ATIS and built the approach; and the Captain handled communications and checklists. ATC brought us around very quickly to the final approach course and with suspicion of fire the Captain and myself did not want to waste any time. We continued on the approach and with a heavier than normal aircraft; once everything was set up the Captain landed the plane. We had the support vehicles waiting and followed us into the gate. We had them look for visible flames and tried to get thermal scan on the aircraft. We had advised Dispatch of what happened and maintenance as well. [The] Captain performed extremely well through the process and as a cockpit I believe we did very well as a crew considering the circumstances.


Synopsis: Air Carrier flight crew reported a fume event during initial departure. The crew performed an air turn back to a safe landing.