Airline ground personnel failed to report a strange engine noise to the flight crew.

Attributes
ACN	253751
Time
Date	199310
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : nsb
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground other : taxi other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	253751
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	253750
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Startup of the turboprop engines aboard our small transport seaplane was uneventful. Takeoff and climb to cruise altitude was normal, but it was noted that the #1 itt was bordering the cautionary range. Power was adjusted to an economy cruise setting which kept all readings 'in the green.' after landing and during water taxi, the captain noted an unusual sound from the #1 engine, and upon looking, noted a fuel stream. The engines were shut down, the aircraft anchored and passenger deplaned without incident. Subsequent inspection showed a blade failure in the compressor section of the engine and a break in the fuel return line. Interviews at the originating station of ramp personnel showed that one had heard a strange noise from #1, yet didn't radio or signal the observation. Neither the crew nor a station manager riding as a passenger heard the unusual noise until it became an expensive repair. Clearly, all persons associated with an aircraft's operation need to maintain a steady 'heads up' vigilance when it comes to identing and conveying items outside the norm.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIRLINE GND PERSONNEL FAILED TO RPT A STRANGE ENG NOISE TO THE FLC.

Narrative: STARTUP OF THE TURBOPROP ENGS ABOARD OUR SMT SEAPLANE WAS UNEVENTFUL. TKOF AND CLB TO CRUISE ALT WAS NORMAL, BUT IT WAS NOTED THAT THE #1 ITT WAS BORDERING THE CAUTIONARY RANGE. PWR WAS ADJUSTED TO AN ECONOMY CRUISE SETTING WHICH KEPT ALL READINGS 'IN THE GREEN.' AFTER LNDG AND DURING WATER TAXI, THE CAPT NOTED AN UNUSUAL SOUND FROM THE #1 ENG, AND UPON LOOKING, NOTED A FUEL STREAM. THE ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN, THE ACFT ANCHORED AND PAX DEPLANED WITHOUT INCIDENT. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION SHOWED A BLADE FAILURE IN THE COMPRESSOR SECTION OF THE ENG AND A BREAK IN THE FUEL RETURN LINE. INTERVIEWS AT THE ORIGINATING STATION OF RAMP PERSONNEL SHOWED THAT ONE HAD HEARD A STRANGE NOISE FROM #1, YET DIDN'T RADIO OR SIGNAL THE OBSERVATION. NEITHER THE CREW NOR A STATION MGR RIDING AS A PAX HEARD THE UNUSUAL NOISE UNTIL IT BECAME AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR. CLRLY, ALL PERSONS ASSOCIATED WITH AN ACFT'S OP NEED TO MAINTAIN A STEADY 'HEADS UP' VIGILANCE WHEN IT COMES TO IDENTING AND CONVEYING ITEMS OUTSIDE THE NORM.

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.