Narrative:

Shortly after the #2 flight attendant informed me that the tail cone section of the aircraft was 'unusually loud' and there was a strong vibration from the floor, I went into the cockpit to inform the captain. We both agreed that the first officer was coming to the back to check out the situation. (We were still climbing and the cockpit was still busy. It would be a few more moments before the first officer would come to the back.) I informed the coach flight attendants that the first officer was coming back and to move the beverage cart out of the aisle so that he could get by. As I was returning to first class I heard 3 loud booms coming from below. I went back into the cockpit and waited till the captain was ready to speak to me. We discussed the situation. The first officer was not coming to the back. We had a more serious problem in the cockpit. We had 20-25 mins before landing. We were turning back to dfw due to an engine problem. It was not a cabin emergency, but it was a cockpit emergency. Flight attendants should prepare for landing. If there was an emergency 'easy victor' would be the command. I would make the initial PA and he would make another PA when he could. I informed my crew, made the PA, and prepared for landing. The captain made 2 PA's: 1) informing them of the situation, 2) informing the passenger that emergency crews would be lining the runway but not to be alarmed. We landed without incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT REGARDING AN MD80 WHICH HAD ENG PROBS DURING INITIAL CLB. ACFT RETURNED TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED ME THAT THE TAIL CONE SECTION OF THE ACFT WAS 'UNUSUALLY LOUD' AND THERE WAS A STRONG VIBRATION FROM THE FLOOR, I WENT INTO THE COCKPIT TO INFORM THE CAPT. WE BOTH AGREED THAT THE FO WAS COMING TO THE BACK TO CHK OUT THE SIT. (WE WERE STILL CLBING AND THE COCKPIT WAS STILL BUSY. IT WOULD BE A FEW MORE MOMENTS BEFORE THE FO WOULD COME TO THE BACK.) I INFORMED THE COACH FLT ATTENDANTS THAT THE FO WAS COMING BACK AND TO MOVE THE BEVERAGE CART OUT OF THE AISLE SO THAT HE COULD GET BY. AS I WAS RETURNING TO FIRST CLASS I HEARD 3 LOUD BOOMS COMING FROM BELOW. I WENT BACK INTO THE COCKPIT AND WAITED TILL THE CAPT WAS READY TO SPEAK TO ME. WE DISCUSSED THE SIT. THE FO WAS NOT COMING TO THE BACK. WE HAD A MORE SERIOUS PROB IN THE COCKPIT. WE HAD 20-25 MINS BEFORE LNDG. WE WERE TURNING BACK TO DFW DUE TO AN ENG PROB. IT WAS NOT A CABIN EMER, BUT IT WAS A COCKPIT EMER. FLT ATTENDANTS SHOULD PREPARE FOR LNDG. IF THERE WAS AN EMER 'EASY VICTOR' WOULD BE THE COMMAND. I WOULD MAKE THE INITIAL PA AND HE WOULD MAKE ANOTHER PA WHEN HE COULD. I INFORMED MY CREW, MADE THE PA, AND PREPARED FOR LNDG. THE CAPT MADE 2 PA'S: 1) INFORMING THEM OF THE SIT, 2) INFORMING THE PAX THAT EMER CREWS WOULD BE LINING THE RWY BUT NOT TO BE ALARMED. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.