Large transport has engine stall and fails at cruise.

Attributes
ACN	255331
Time
Date	199310
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ict
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc tower : sjc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	255331
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While in cruise flight at FL290 the left engine stalled and failed. No windmill RPM was noted after failure. Operation was apparently normal up to that time. However, egt was 30-50 degrees higher than right engine. Also N2 was 3 percent higher and fuel flow was 200-300 pounds higher. If both engines were the same model, the difference could indicate a problem. However, the left engine was a model C, the right was a model a. Because of inherent differences in the engine types, a flight crew has no easy way of determining if one of the engines is not performing properly. I feel that this impending failure might have been prevented if logbook notes as to the differences in readings between the 2 engines had not been written off as being ok because the engines were different. I feel that a closer analysis of engine data provided by the flcs might have prevented this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT HAS ENG STALL AND FAILS AT CRUISE.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT FL290 THE L ENG STALLED AND FAILED. NO WINDMILL RPM WAS NOTED AFTER FAILURE. OP WAS APPARENTLY NORMAL UP TO THAT TIME. HOWEVER, EGT WAS 30-50 DEGS HIGHER THAN R ENG. ALSO N2 WAS 3 PERCENT HIGHER AND FUEL FLOW WAS 200-300 LBS HIGHER. IF BOTH ENGS WERE THE SAME MODEL, THE DIFFERENCE COULD INDICATE A PROB. HOWEVER, THE L ENG WAS A MODEL C, THE R WAS A MODEL A. BECAUSE OF INHERENT DIFFERENCES IN THE ENG TYPES, A FLC HAS NO EASY WAY OF DETERMINING IF ONE OF THE ENGS IS NOT PERFORMING PROPERLY. I FEEL THAT THIS IMPENDING FAILURE MIGHT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF LOGBOOK NOTES AS TO THE DIFFERENCES IN READINGS BTWN THE 2 ENGS HAD NOT BEEN WRITTEN OFF AS BEING OK BECAUSE THE ENGS WERE DIFFERENT. I FEEL THAT A CLOSER ANALYSIS OF ENG DATA PROVIDED BY THE FLCS MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT.

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.