Narrative:

During takeoff using maximum power available, probably just after liftoff, left engine failed. (We didn't know then, but hot segments of the turbine section ejected from the engine and started a grass fire about 100 yds off the departure end of the runway.) about 600-800' AGL we felt the thrust loss and noticed engine readings were falling off on the left side. I called the tower and told them we had an engine failure, declared an emergency, and requested an immediate return to land. We completed an engine shutdown using QRH (quick reference handbook) and cleaned up aircraft. I informed our F/a's that we would be landing shortly and that we would not plan on an emergency evacuate/evacuation since we had no indication of fire in the engine. We called our company and relayed our problem. Told ATC that we would like to delay our landing to burn off fuel and check further on our maximum landing weight conditions. I called our dispatch for assistance in determining our maximum landing weight for lax. Told to stand by, but after a while our weight was about 340000#. I decided T land as soon as possible since our weight was not decreasing very rapidly. I requested my first officer review all our checklists to see if we covered all areas. He did same. I took control of the aircraft and he reviewed everything. We had a female ZMA controller on our jump seat to observe and watch for traffic. We then made a smooth landing on 25L at lax at 340600#. Touched down at about 160 KTS. Had no control or tire problems. Brake temperature went to about 275 degrees C, as observed by first officer. Fire department said we had no fire or smoke. Parked aircraft on gate 48 lax. Observed several holes in engine tail cone and trailing edge flap, and dents from turbine blades in jack screw covers. No fuselage holes or dents were seen by me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ENGINE FAILURE DURING INITIAL CLIMB.

Narrative: DURING TKOF USING MAX PWR AVAILABLE, PROBABLY JUST AFTER LIFTOFF, LEFT ENG FAILED. (WE DIDN'T KNOW THEN, BUT HOT SEGMENTS OF THE TURBINE SECTION EJECTED FROM THE ENG AND STARTED A GRASS FIRE ABOUT 100 YDS OFF THE DEP END OF THE RWY.) ABOUT 600-800' AGL WE FELT THE THRUST LOSS AND NOTICED ENG READINGS WERE FALLING OFF ON THE LEFT SIDE. I CALLED THE TWR AND TOLD THEM WE HAD AN ENG FAILURE, DECLARED AN EMER, AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO LAND. WE COMPLETED AN ENG SHUTDOWN USING QRH (QUICK REF HANDBOOK) AND CLEANED UP ACFT. I INFORMED OUR F/A'S THAT WE WOULD BE LNDG SHORTLY AND THAT WE WOULD NOT PLAN ON AN EMER EVAC SINCE WE HAD NO INDICATION OF FIRE IN THE ENG. WE CALLED OUR COMPANY AND RELAYED OUR PROB. TOLD ATC THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DELAY OUR LNDG TO BURN OFF FUEL AND CHK FURTHER ON OUR MAX LNDG WT CONDITIONS. I CALLED OUR DISPATCH FOR ASSISTANCE IN DETERMINING OUR MAX LNDG WT FOR LAX. TOLD TO STAND BY, BUT AFTER A WHILE OUR WT WAS ABOUT 340000#. I DECIDED T LAND ASAP SINCE OUR WT WAS NOT DECREASING VERY RAPIDLY. I REQUESTED MY F/O REVIEW ALL OUR CHKLISTS TO SEE IF WE COVERED ALL AREAS. HE DID SAME. I TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT AND HE REVIEWED EVERYTHING. WE HAD A FEMALE ZMA CTLR ON OUR JUMP SEAT TO OBSERVE AND WATCH FOR TFC. WE THEN MADE A SMOOTH LNDG ON 25L AT LAX AT 340600#. TOUCHED DOWN AT ABOUT 160 KTS. HAD NO CONTROL OR TIRE PROBS. BRAKE TEMP WENT TO ABOUT 275 DEGS C, AS OBSERVED BY F/O. FIRE DEPT SAID WE HAD NO FIRE OR SMOKE. PARKED ACFT ON GATE 48 LAX. OBSERVED SEVERAL HOLES IN ENG TAIL CONE AND TRAILING EDGE FLAP, AND DENTS FROM TURBINE BLADES IN JACK SCREW COVERS. NO FUSELAGE HOLES OR DENTS WERE SEEN BY ME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.