Large transport declared an emergency and diverted to an alternate because of an engine overheat.

Attributes
ACN	257554
Time
Date	199311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	257554
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On engine start at sjc, we got ECAM message 'engine #1 compressor vane.' on the advice of maintenance control, we returned to the gate for inspection. The contract a&P at sjc opened the cowl and inspected the engine. He MEL'ed the 'engine #1 compressor vane' message. We started up again and took off from sjc. Very shortly after liftoff, #1 engine overtemped (red line). It got as hot as 903 degrees (red line is 890 degrees) and was overtemped for about 50 seconds. When we leveled off and pulled the power back, the temperature was in the normal range. However, anytime climb power was set, the temperature went into the amber range, about 870 degrees. We declared an emergency and diverted to sfo. Also, about 5-10 mins after we had declared the emergency, we were level at FL230, when ZOA instructed us to make an immediate descent to FL180. He also gave another aircraft an immediate turn. I don't know any more details about this ATC situation. In regards to our engine problem, I'm going to recommend to the company to reexamine the MEL for compressor vane. Obviously the computer was trying to tell us humans to check more than we did.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE BECAUSE OF AN ENG OVERHEAT.

Narrative: ON ENG START AT SJC, WE GOT ECAM MESSAGE 'ENG #1 COMPRESSOR VANE.' ON THE ADVICE OF MAINT CTL, WE RETURNED TO THE GATE FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTRACT A&P AT SJC OPENED THE COWL AND INSPECTED THE ENG. HE MEL'ED THE 'ENG #1 COMPRESSOR VANE' MESSAGE. WE STARTED UP AGAIN AND TOOK OFF FROM SJC. VERY SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, #1 ENG OVERTEMPED (RED LINE). IT GOT AS HOT AS 903 DEGS (RED LINE IS 890 DEGS) AND WAS OVERTEMPED FOR ABOUT 50 SECONDS. WHEN WE LEVELED OFF AND PULLED THE PWR BACK, THE TEMP WAS IN THE NORMAL RANGE. HOWEVER, ANYTIME CLB PWR WAS SET, THE TEMP WENT INTO THE AMBER RANGE, ABOUT 870 DEGS. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO SFO. ALSO, ABOUT 5-10 MINS AFTER WE HAD DECLARED THE EMER, WE WERE LEVEL AT FL230, WHEN ZOA INSTRUCTED US TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO FL180. HE ALSO GAVE ANOTHER ACFT AN IMMEDIATE TURN. I DON'T KNOW ANY MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS ATC SIT. IN REGARDS TO OUR ENG PROB, I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND TO THE COMPANY TO REEXAMINE THE MEL FOR COMPRESSOR VANE. OBVIOUSLY THE COMPUTER WAS TRYING TO TELL US HUMANS TO CHK MORE THAN WE DID.

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.