Narrative:

On takeoff from las vegas, the left egt was significantly above the right, but still within limits. We discussed the fact we would write it up upon landing in los angeles. When reducing power to climb, both engines were well within limits, but left was still much hotter than the right (all other indications were normal). Passing 14,000', we heard 4 loud thumps (compressor stalls) with accompanying power loss from left engine. We brought left engine to idle and returned to las vegas for an uneventful landing. During the initial handling of the emergency, the flight crew felt as if there were a million things to do. Handle the emergency, do the checklist, decide where to go, notify ATC, notify company, etc. However after ensuring the safety of the aircraft, probably the most important task was to let the F/a's and passenger know what had happened. I picked up the phone soon after the compressor stalls and the F/a's were already there waiting. A very short message saying we were all right, we were returning to las and we would talk to the passenger when we had time was exactly what they needed to hear. The recent emphasis from the news media has made the flying public extremely nervous travelers. This has come to include our F/a's. What may seem a relatively simple situation to the flight crew, is often very scary to those who are not informed. A short intercom and a short passenger announcement as soon as possible will relieve many from undue worry.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE COMPRESSOR STALL DURING CLIMB. RETURN TO DEP ARPT. NO INJURIES.

Narrative: ON TKOF FROM LAS VEGAS, THE LEFT EGT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE THE RIGHT, BUT STILL WITHIN LIMITS. WE DISCUSSED THE FACT WE WOULD WRITE IT UP UPON LNDG IN LOS ANGELES. WHEN REDUCING POWER TO CLIMB, BOTH ENGINES WERE WELL WITHIN LIMITS, BUT LEFT WAS STILL MUCH HOTTER THAN THE RIGHT (ALL OTHER INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL). PASSING 14,000', WE HEARD 4 LOUD THUMPS (COMPRESSOR STALLS) WITH ACCOMPANYING POWER LOSS FROM LEFT ENGINE. WE BROUGHT LEFT ENGINE TO IDLE AND RETURNED TO LAS VEGAS FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. DURING THE INITIAL HANDLING OF THE EMER, THE FLT CREW FELT AS IF THERE WERE A MILLION THINGS TO DO. HANDLE THE EMER, DO THE CHECKLIST, DECIDE WHERE TO GO, NOTIFY ATC, NOTIFY COMPANY, ETC. HOWEVER AFTER ENSURING THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT, PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT TASK WAS TO LET THE F/A'S AND PAX KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I PICKED UP THE PHONE SOON AFTER THE COMPRESSOR STALLS AND THE F/A'S WERE ALREADY THERE WAITING. A VERY SHORT MESSAGE SAYING WE WERE ALL RIGHT, WE WERE RETURNING TO LAS AND WE WOULD TALK TO THE PAX WHEN WE HAD TIME WAS EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED TO HEAR. THE RECENT EMPHASIS FROM THE NEWS MEDIA HAS MADE THE FLYING PUBLIC EXTREMELY NERVOUS TRAVELERS. THIS HAS COME TO INCLUDE OUR F/A'S. WHAT MAY SEEM A RELATIVELY SIMPLE SITUATION TO THE FLT CREW, IS OFTEN VERY SCARY TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT INFORMED. A SHORT INTERCOM AND A SHORT PAX ANNOUNCEMENT ASAP WILL RELIEVE MANY FROM UNDUE WORRY.

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.