Narrative:

On descent, received a class I warning message, 'compressor vane, avoid thrust changes.' the engine parameters were fine. We failed to turn off autothrust. I feel we didn't do it because we thought it was a false indication and the aircraft is so automated we didn't feel we needed to. I think it would help if it specifically said 'autothrust off, avoid thrust changes.' the engine failed on approach, we declared an emergency and landed safely. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: aircraft was A320. Both flight crew members had been on the same aircraft with a different company which is no longer in business. While at that company, the compressor vane warning was a fairly common occurrence and flcs generally didn't take any action. Reporter first officer says that they were caught unaware and hadn't completed the required actions. He says they did complete the ECAM actions, but never went to the irregular procedures in the operating manual. The procedure there says, 'if autothrottle is engaged, adjust lever with actual EPR and disconnect autothrottle.' then, 'if engine stall...engine master switch off.' because they left the autothrottle on during descent for approach, and when leveling at final approach fix altitude, the autothrottle power came on and the engine overtemped and failed. The ECAM compressor vane warning is caused by either low pressure compressor bleed valve or variable stator vane failure. Procedure is irregular. Also says, in bold print, avoid thrust changes. Reporter says that having the autothrottles on caused the engine failure. Engine failed at 1000 ft, it was shut down, an emergency declared and the aircraft landed uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB CRITICAL. COMPRESSOR VANE FAIL WITH SUBSEQUENT OVERTEMP AND SHUTDOWN.

Narrative: ON DSCNT, RECEIVED A CLASS I WARNING MESSAGE, 'COMPRESSOR VANE, AVOID THRUST CHANGES.' THE ENG PARAMETERS WERE FINE. WE FAILED TO TURN OFF AUTOTHRUST. I FEEL WE DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT WAS A FALSE INDICATION AND THE ACFT IS SO AUTOMATED WE DIDN'T FEEL WE NEEDED TO. I THINK IT WOULD HELP IF IT SPECIFICALLY SAID 'AUTOTHRUST OFF, AVOID THRUST CHANGES.' THE ENG FAILED ON APCH, WE DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED SAFELY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ACFT WAS A320. BOTH FLC MEMBERS HAD BEEN ON THE SAME ACFT WITH A DIFFERENT COMPANY WHICH IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS. WHILE AT THAT COMPANY, THE COMPRESSOR VANE WARNING WAS A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE AND FLCS GENERALLY DIDN'T TAKE ANY ACTION. RPTR FO SAYS THAT THEY WERE CAUGHT UNAWARE AND HADN'T COMPLETED THE REQUIRED ACTIONS. HE SAYS THEY DID COMPLETE THE ECAM ACTIONS, BUT NEVER WENT TO THE IRREGULAR PROCS IN THE OPERATING MANUAL. THE PROC THERE SAYS, 'IF AUTOTHROTTLE IS ENGAGED, ADJUST LEVER WITH ACTUAL EPR AND DISCONNECT AUTOTHROTTLE.' THEN, 'IF ENG STALL...ENG MASTER SWITCH OFF.' BECAUSE THEY LEFT THE AUTOTHROTTLE ON DURING DSCNT FOR APCH, AND WHEN LEVELING AT FINAL APCH FIX ALT, THE AUTOTHROTTLE PWR CAME ON AND THE ENG OVERTEMPED AND FAILED. THE ECAM COMPRESSOR VANE WARNING IS CAUSED BY EITHER LOW PRESSURE COMPRESSOR BLEED VALVE OR VARIABLE STATOR VANE FAILURE. PROC IS IRREGULAR. ALSO SAYS, IN BOLD PRINT, AVOID THRUST CHANGES. RPTR SAYS THAT HAVING THE AUTOTHROTTLES ON CAUSED THE ENG FAILURE. ENG FAILED AT 1000 FT, IT WAS SHUT DOWN, AN EMER DECLARED AND THE ACFT LANDED UNEVENTFULLY.

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.