Narrative:

After takeoff from ord at about 500' AGL the left engine failed and autofeathered. After confirming left engine failure we accomplished all appropriate memory item drills and checklists per SOP. We then notified ATC of our situation, requested crash fire rescue equipment, and a radar vector for the 27R ILS approach for ord. The F/a was then informed and a passenger announcement was made to inform the passenger of the situation. While being vectored for the approach we began to prepare for landing. During the completion of the in range checklist we noted that our landing weight would be about 1200 pounds above the maximum landing weight of 42000 pounds. Due to the IFR WX at ord and the unacceptable amount of time to turn off the fuel to reach maximum landing weight, we elected to land immediately. One problem we did have during the ILS approach was that the approach controller turned us on the approach over the OM causing the approach to be more difficult than normal and thereby increasing our workload which was already higher than normal. The WX at the time of the incident was 500' overcast, and 2 mi in fog. The cause of the engine failure was found to be a sheared drive shaft for the engine driven, high pressure fuel pump. Due to the sudden power loss and rapid cooling of the engine's turbine wheels, the turbine wheels warped causing turbine rub. This required the engine to be removed from the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT ENGINE FAILURE AFTER TKOF. INFLT ENGINE SHUT DOWN RETURN LAND.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM ORD AT ABOUT 500' AGL THE LEFT ENG FAILED AND AUTOFEATHERED. AFTER CONFIRMING LEFT ENG FAILURE WE ACCOMPLISHED ALL APPROPRIATE MEMORY ITEM DRILLS AND CHKLISTS PER SOP. WE THEN NOTIFIED ATC OF OUR SITUATION, REQUESTED CFR, AND A RADAR VECTOR FOR THE 27R ILS APCH FOR ORD. THE F/A WAS THEN INFORMED AND A PAX ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE TO INFORM THE PAX OF THE SITUATION. WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR THE APCH WE BEGAN TO PREPARE FOR LNDG. DURING THE COMPLETION OF THE IN RANGE CHKLIST WE NOTED THAT OUR LNDG WT WOULD BE ABOUT 1200 LBS ABOVE THE MAX LNDG WT OF 42000 LBS. DUE TO THE IFR WX AT ORD AND THE UNACCEPTABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO TURN OFF THE FUEL TO REACH MAX LNDG WT, WE ELECTED TO LAND IMMEDIATELY. ONE PROB WE DID HAVE DURING THE ILS APCH WAS THAT THE APCH CTLR TURNED US ON THE APCH OVER THE OM CAUSING THE APCH TO BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN NORMAL AND THEREBY INCREASING OUR WORKLOAD WHICH WAS ALREADY HIGHER THAN NORMAL. THE WX AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS 500' OVCST, AND 2 MI IN FOG. THE CAUSE OF THE ENG FAILURE WAS FOUND TO BE A SHEARED DRIVE SHAFT FOR THE ENG DRIVEN, HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. DUE TO THE SUDDEN PWR LOSS AND RAPID COOLING OF THE ENG'S TURBINE WHEELS, THE TURBINE WHEELS WARPED CAUSING TURBINE RUB. THIS REQUIRED THE ENG TO BE REMOVED FROM THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.