Narrative:

The aircraft was passing through FL180 when a loud bang was heard. The plane yawed to the left and began to shudder violently. I disconnected the autoplt and autothrottles and hand flew the aircraft as the first officer began to perform the ECAM procedures. We notified memphis departure control of our situation and declared an emergency. The #1 engine had failed and I directed the first officer to shut it down. We received clearance to descend to 4000 ft MSL and our own navigation back to memphis. We contacted mem tower control and advised them of our situation. They cleared us for a visual approach to runway 9. We requested emergency equipment and advised mem tower that we would roll to the end of the runway and exit at the end. We did that, accomplished the after landing checklist and stopped for a visual inspection by the emergency equipment crew. They reported no smoke, fire or obvious damage to the aircraft so we secured the emergency and taxied back to our parking area. This flight did not deviate from any ATC clearance, far or company policy that I am aware of. The first officer coolly handled the emergency and abnormal checklists while I flew the aircraft and communicated our intentions to the controling ATC agency. It all came together just as the training we regularly go through teaches us to react to the situation. Makes me appreciate those XX00 am simulators.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A310 EXPERIENCES ENG FAILURE DURING CLB. THEY SHUT DOWN THE ENG, DECLARE EMER AND RETURN TO LAND.

Narrative: THE ACFT WAS PASSING THROUGH FL180 WHEN A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD. THE PLANE YAWED TO THE L AND BEGAN TO SHUDDER VIOLENTLY. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES AND HAND FLEW THE ACFT AS THE FO BEGAN TO PERFORM THE ECAM PROCS. WE NOTIFIED MEMPHIS DEP CTL OF OUR SIT AND DECLARED AN EMER. THE #1 ENG HAD FAILED AND I DIRECTED THE FO TO SHUT IT DOWN. WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO 4000 FT MSL AND OUR OWN NAV BACK TO MEMPHIS. WE CONTACTED MEM TWR CTL AND ADVISED THEM OF OUR SIT. THEY CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 9. WE REQUESTED EMER EQUIP AND ADVISED MEM TWR THAT WE WOULD ROLL TO THE END OF THE RWY AND EXIT AT THE END. WE DID THAT, ACCOMPLISHED THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST AND STOPPED FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION BY THE EMER EQUIP CREW. THEY RPTED NO SMOKE, FIRE OR OBVIOUS DAMAGE TO THE ACFT SO WE SECURED THE EMER AND TAXIED BACK TO OUR PARKING AREA. THIS FLT DID NOT DEVIATE FROM ANY ATC CLRNC, FAR OR COMPANY POLICY THAT I AM AWARE OF. THE FO COOLLY HANDLED THE EMER AND ABNORMAL CHKLISTS WHILE I FLEW THE ACFT AND COMMUNICATED OUR INTENTIONS TO THE CTLING ATC AGENCY. IT ALL CAME TOGETHER JUST AS THE TRAINING WE REGULARLY GO THROUGH TEACHES US TO REACT TO THE SIT. MAKES ME APPRECIATE THOSE XX00 AM SIMULATORS.

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.