Medium large transport at cruise has engine vibration which is extreme. Divert land.

Attributes
ACN	273241
Time
Date	199405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sav
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	273241
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	273101
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

A B737-400 during cruise at 33000 ft the aircraft began to vibrate and the right engine vibration monitor was indicating '5' the oil pressure and temperature remained within normal operating limits at all times. After reading the abnormal procedure from the pilots handbook the right throttle was retarded to keep the vibration indications below a number of '4.' we descended to an altitude of 24000 ft and the first officer obtained a phone patch with the company maintenance director for the B737- 400. A joint decision to divert to clt was made. At no time did the crew feel the safety of the flight was compromised therefore we never declared an emergency with ATC. The decision to land short of our destination was strictly precautionary. Upon visual inspection of the right engine, it was noted that there was substantial damage to the fan section. There were no obvious indications as to the cause of the damage. Supplemental information from acn 272883: at no time during this entire process was the responsible dispatcher informed or consulted about the maintenance problem or the diversion decision. Maintenance assumed control of dispatch authority/authorized in violation of FAA regulations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG AT CRUISE HAS ENG VIBRATION WHICH IS EXTREME. DIVERT LAND.

Narrative: A B737-400 DURING CRUISE AT 33000 FT THE ACFT BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND THE R ENG VIBRATION MONITOR WAS INDICATING '5' THE OIL PRESSURE AND TEMP REMAINED WITHIN NORMAL OPERATING LIMITS AT ALL TIMES. AFTER READING THE ABNORMAL PROC FROM THE PLTS HANDBOOK THE R THROTTLE WAS RETARDED TO KEEP THE VIBRATION INDICATIONS BELOW A NUMBER OF '4.' WE DSNDED TO AN ALT OF 24000 FT AND THE FO OBTAINED A PHONE PATCH WITH THE COMPANY MAINT DIRECTOR FOR THE B737- 400. A JOINT DECISION TO DIVERT TO CLT WAS MADE. AT NO TIME DID THE CREW FEEL THE SAFETY OF THE FLT WAS COMPROMISED THEREFORE WE NEVER DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC. THE DECISION TO LAND SHORT OF OUR DEST WAS STRICTLY PRECAUTIONARY. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE R ENG, IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FAN SECTION. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS INDICATIONS AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 272883: AT NO TIME DURING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS WAS THE RESPONSIBLE DISPATCHER INFORMED OR CONSULTED ABOUT THE MAINT PROB OR THE DIVERSION DECISION. MAINT ASSUMED CTL OF DISPATCH AUTH IN VIOLATION OF FAA REGULATIONS.

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.