Flight attendant report regarding a return land incident due to engine noises on climb.

Attributes
ACN	419494
Time
Date	199810
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	419494
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	419863
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Approximately 8-10 mins after takeoff, I was seated in my jump seat and heard a loud 'thumping' sound coming from left side engine. I called flight attendant #1 to alert her and then spoke to the cockpit. The captain asked me to let them know if the noise was heard again. Approximately 1 min later, the 'thumping' again resumed (louder this time). I immediately called the cockpit and was informed that we would be returning to ord. Although we did not need to prepare for an emergency landing we all went and obtained our flight manuals 'just in case.' I reassured our passenger that 'all was well.' the captain made a PA informing passenger of the situation and we landed without incident. Passenger did not seem distressed or worried, but I attribute that to the fact that 'we' as a crew were calm and informative. Supplemental information from acn 419493: the captain came on the PA and said we were going back to ord because of a decompression in the left engine. We landed with no problems. Got a new airplane and headed for dfw.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT REGARDING A RETURN LAND INCIDENT DUE TO ENG NOISES ON CLB.

Narrative: APPROX 8-10 MINS AFTER TKOF, I WAS SEATED IN MY JUMP SEAT AND HEARD A LOUD 'THUMPING' SOUND COMING FROM L SIDE ENG. I CALLED FLT ATTENDANT #1 TO ALERT HER AND THEN SPOKE TO THE COCKPIT. THE CAPT ASKED ME TO LET THEM KNOW IF THE NOISE WAS HEARD AGAIN. APPROX 1 MIN LATER, THE 'THUMPING' AGAIN RESUMED (LOUDER THIS TIME). I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE COCKPIT AND WAS INFORMED THAT WE WOULD BE RETURNING TO ORD. ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT NEED TO PREPARE FOR AN EMER LNDG WE ALL WENT AND OBTAINED OUR FLT MANUALS 'JUST IN CASE.' I REASSURED OUR PAX THAT 'ALL WAS WELL.' THE CAPT MADE A PA INFORMING PAX OF THE SIT AND WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. PAX DID NOT SEEM DISTRESSED OR WORRIED, BUT I ATTRIBUTE THAT TO THE FACT THAT 'WE' AS A CREW WERE CALM AND INFORMATIVE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 419493: THE CAPT CAME ON THE PA AND SAID WE WERE GOING BACK TO ORD BECAUSE OF A DECOMPRESSION IN THE L ENG. WE LANDED WITH NO PROBS. GOT A NEW AIRPLANE AND HEADED FOR DFW.

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.