Narrative:

While in cruise at FL370 we started to take engine data readings for maintenance as requested. #1 throttle was adjusted approximately 1/2' to reference mark as prescribed by our company procedure. When the #1 engine compressor stalled with a loud bang and egt overtemped to about 900-915 degrees C, just under red line. #1 engine was subsequently shut down and we requested a lower altitude. After several attempts engine started on third try at FL260. After stabilization engine and indications operated normally continued flight at FL290. Inbound flight crew on this aircraft on previous leg had compressor stall of #1 as well. Comments from F/a's familiar with this aircraft for past several weeks indicated that this has been happening on a regular basis, plus several diversions due to other problems on #1 in past several weeks. Our company's aircraft log book does not allow pilots to view maintenance history of aircraft past approximately 3 days previous. This information is stored in computer at maintenance control and not readily accessible to pilots. Apparently maintenance had tried to troubleshoot problem after each event by inspecting, right & right bleed controls, etc, but each time continued to operate passenger revenue flts as 'test' flts. I realize that not every problem can be fixed for sure on ground, but this aircraft has a 2 week history of mechanical problems on #1, and I feel the engine should have been changed after the first few incidents before carrying passenger on revenue flts. Flight crew worked well as a team using established company procedures. Before engine was restarted diversion to either slc or den was contemplated, but after restart and normal operation of engine we decided to continue to msp. This is sent because we were not 100% sure how feds would view continuation to destination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ENGINE COMPRESSOR STALL AT CRUISE ALT. INFLT ENGINE SHUT DOWN, DESCENT TO LOWER ALT, ENGINE RESTART AND CONTINUE TO DESTINATION.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE AT FL370 WE STARTED TO TAKE ENGINE DATA READINGS FOR MAINT AS REQUESTED. #1 THROTTLE WAS ADJUSTED APPROX 1/2' TO REF MARK AS PRESCRIBED BY OUR COMPANY PROC. WHEN THE #1 ENG COMPRESSOR STALLED WITH A LOUD BANG AND EGT OVERTEMPED TO ABOUT 900-915 DEGS C, JUST UNDER RED LINE. #1 ENG WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SHUT DOWN AND WE REQUESTED A LOWER ALT. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS ENG STARTED ON THIRD TRY AT FL260. AFTER STABILIZATION ENG AND INDICATIONS OPERATED NORMALLY CONTINUED FLT AT FL290. INBND FLT CREW ON THIS ACFT ON PREVIOUS LEG HAD COMPRESSOR STALL OF #1 AS WELL. COMMENTS FROM F/A'S FAMILIAR WITH THIS ACFT FOR PAST SEVERAL WKS INDICATED THAT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON A REGULAR BASIS, PLUS SEVERAL DIVERSIONS DUE TO OTHER PROBS ON #1 IN PAST SEVERAL WKS. OUR COMPANY'S ACFT LOG BOOK DOES NOT ALLOW PLTS TO VIEW MAINT HISTORY OF ACFT PAST APPROX 3 DAYS PREVIOUS. THIS INFO IS STORED IN COMPUTER AT MAINT CTL AND NOT READILY ACCESSIBLE TO PLTS. APPARENTLY MAINT HAD TRIED TO TROUBLESHOOT PROB AFTER EACH EVENT BY INSPECTING, R & R BLEED CONTROLS, ETC, BUT EACH TIME CONTINUED TO OPERATE PAX REVENUE FLTS AS 'TEST' FLTS. I REALIZE THAT NOT EVERY PROB CAN BE FIXED FOR SURE ON GND, BUT THIS ACFT HAS A 2 WK HISTORY OF MECHANICAL PROBS ON #1, AND I FEEL THE ENG SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED AFTER THE FIRST FEW INCIDENTS BEFORE CARRYING PAX ON REVENUE FLTS. FLT CREW WORKED WELL AS A TEAM USING ESTABLISHED COMPANY PROCS. BEFORE ENG WAS RESTARTED DIVERSION TO EITHER SLC OR DEN WAS CONTEMPLATED, BUT AFTER RESTART AND NORMAL OPERATION OF ENG WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO MSP. THIS IS SENT BECAUSE WE WERE NOT 100% SURE HOW FEDS WOULD VIEW CONTINUATION TO DEST.

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.