Multiple flight attendant reports regarding an aborted takeoff of an MD11 due to engine problems.

Attributes
ACN	427432
Time
Date	199901
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	427432
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	427431
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Cockpit crew had pwred up engines and takeoff roll had begun. Approximately 5-10 seconds into roll, I heard a dull thud, the cabin lights and video screens flashed off and aircraft power decreased, but then immediately started to wind up again. A few seconds later, this sequence was repeated (thud, flash, power cut then increase) and then occurred a third time, after which the takeoff was aborted. I'm not sure how much time elapsed, but enough between the first 2 instances to wonder among ourselves (the flight attendants) 'what was that?' and between the second and third to say things like 'abort! Abort!' and 'stop this airplane!' supplemental information from acn 427431: the captain decided to abort the takeoff and we came to a screeching halt. All was quiet until the captain made a PA about a problem with the #1 engine and that we were going to taxi back to a gate. The aircraft was grounded and trip canceled.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE FLT ATTENDANT RPTS REGARDING AN ABORTED TKOF OF AN MD11 DUE TO ENG PROBS.

Narrative: COCKPIT CREW HAD PWRED UP ENGS AND TKOF ROLL HAD BEGUN. APPROX 5-10 SECONDS INTO ROLL, I HEARD A DULL THUD, THE CABIN LIGHTS AND VIDEO SCREENS FLASHED OFF AND ACFT PWR DECREASED, BUT THEN IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO WIND UP AGAIN. A FEW SECONDS LATER, THIS SEQUENCE WAS REPEATED (THUD, FLASH, PWR CUT THEN INCREASE) AND THEN OCCURRED A THIRD TIME, AFTER WHICH THE TKOF WAS ABORTED. I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH TIME ELAPSED, BUT ENOUGH BTWN THE FIRST 2 INSTANCES TO WONDER AMONG OURSELVES (THE FLT ATTENDANTS) 'WHAT WAS THAT?' AND BTWN THE SECOND AND THIRD TO SAY THINGS LIKE 'ABORT! ABORT!' AND 'STOP THIS AIRPLANE!' SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 427431: THE CAPT DECIDED TO ABORT THE TKOF AND WE CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. ALL WAS QUIET UNTIL THE CAPT MADE A PA ABOUT A PROB WITH THE #1 ENG AND THAT WE WERE GOING TO TAXI BACK TO A GATE. THE ACFT WAS GNDED AND TRIP CANCELED.

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.