Date: 201211
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: IMC
Aircraft: MD-88
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class A ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Detector: Person Flight Attendant
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Declared Emergency
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: Climbing through approximately FL190 a Flight Attendant called the flight deck saying that there was a substantial amount of smoke in the very rear part of the cabin that was getting progressively worse. At that point I could not smell anything abnormal on the flight deck. We leveled off; reduced power and informed ATC of our situation. Due to the fact that the smoke was confined to the rear of the cabin; we elected to not continue use of our oxygen masks. We ran QRH for CABIN FIRE/SMOKE. Concurrently we were talking to ATC about a return to the field. After being told twice to stand by; we declared an emergency in order to get priority handling and began a turn and descent back to the departure airport. I called back to the cabin and a Flight Attendant stated that the smoke was not getting any worse; but many passengers were visibly frightened so we elected to continue our descent back to the airport. I made a PA stating our intentions to return. Our checklist advised us to pull circuit breaker J-7 RECIRCULATION FAN CONTROL. The checklist also states 'If Source/Severity Not Positively or Quickly Determined or Immediate Control Is Not Likely; Emergency Descent/Landing...INITIATE' As we could not determine the source or severity; we continued with our emergency landing. If Smoke Intensifies Accomplish SMOKE/FUMES REMOVAL - PRESSURIZED Procedure this Section. The smoke was not intensifying according to our flight attendants; so we did not perform the SMOKE/FUMES REMOVAL procedure. We continued our descent; performed the return checklist; briefed the flight attendants; set up for and flew an uneventful ILS and taxied back to the gate at which point Maintenance was contacted and the passengers were deplaned. No other issues were noted. Due to the relatively low altitude and close proximity to our departure airport; it was tough to run checklists; talk to all the appropriate parties needing information and setup and fly the aircraft without feeling rushed. Because of the destructive potential of a fire; our close proximity to the airport and the mental state of our passengers; we elected to return as opposed to contacting Maintenance or performing more trouble shooting. Had we been in cruise; or had the severity of smoke not been so bad (according to the aft flight attendants) we would have had more time to determine the cause. However; the last thing anyone wants is to be busy flying around determining the cause of a potentially worsening fire while being as close to an airport as we were. Emergency authority was exercised and a return to our departure airport was performed.




Synopsis: Passing FL190 during climb; MD88 crew was informed by a Flight Attendant that there was a substantial amount of smoke in the very rear part of the cabin and getting progressively worse. An emergency was declared and the flight returned to departure airport for an uneventful landing.