A DC10 in climb at FL190 declared an emergency and diverted due to sparks emitting from #3 engine.

Attributes
ACN	389878
Time
Date	199712
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zbw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8500
ASRS Report	389878
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Normal departure from bos as air carrier flight xx to ams. DC10 ship YYY departed at XA21. Heavy takeoff on runway 22R, normal departure. Passing 15000 ft, received call from flight attendants that passenger reported 'sparks' coming from #3 engine. So sent to investigate. On his return to cockpit, he reported seeing stream of sparks emitting from #3 engine approximately every 30 seconds. Sparks looked like 'sparks emitting from a grinding stone when sharpening a metal object.' captain contacted air carrier dispatch and maintenance control. All engine instruments were normal. Captain elected to return to bos. ATC notified and approximately 100000 pounds of fuel dumped. Normal landing at bos on runway 22R. #3 engine secured when clear of runway. Emergency was declared to have equipment standing by. Normal taxi to ramp. Parked at gate at XB46. Mechanics reported metal particles in engine tailpipe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10 IN CLB AT FL190 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO SPARKS EMITTING FROM #3 ENG.

Narrative: NORMAL DEP FROM BOS AS ACR FLT XX TO AMS. DC10 SHIP YYY DEPARTED AT XA21. HVY TKOF ON RWY 22R, NORMAL DEP. PASSING 15000 FT, RECEIVED CALL FROM FLT ATTENDANTS THAT PAX RPTED 'SPARKS' COMING FROM #3 ENG. SO SENT TO INVESTIGATE. ON HIS RETURN TO COCKPIT, HE RPTED SEEING STREAM OF SPARKS EMITTING FROM #3 ENG APPROX EVERY 30 SECONDS. SPARKS LOOKED LIKE 'SPARKS EMITTING FROM A GRINDING STONE WHEN SHARPENING A METAL OBJECT.' CAPT CONTACTED ACR DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL. ALL ENG INSTS WERE NORMAL. CAPT ELECTED TO RETURN TO BOS. ATC NOTIFIED AND APPROX 100000 LBS OF FUEL DUMPED. NORMAL LNDG AT BOS ON RWY 22R. #3 ENG SECURED WHEN CLR OF RWY. EMER WAS DECLARED TO HAVE EQUIP STANDING BY. NORMAL TAXI TO RAMP. PARKED AT GATE AT XB46. MECHS RPTED METAL PARTICLES IN ENG TAILPIPE.

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.