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An MD82 in cruse at FL350 diverted due to fluctuating power on the right engine caused by a malfunctioning engine fuel control.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 429190 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199902 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : sgf.vortac |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-82 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 429190 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine instruments other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
During cruise flight, the right engine began to surge. The night EPR fluctuated between 1.79 and 1.95 EPR. All other instruments followed the same fluctuation indication as the EPR indication N1, N2, egt, fc advised maintenance control and dispatch of the problem. The flight release was amended and flight xyz diverted to stl. The nearest city was mci but the WX was 100 ft and 1/4 mi visibility in fog. Stl was only 35 mi farther and the WX was VFR. Therefore stl was selected as the airport of choice. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was pwred with 2 P&west JT8D-217 engines. The reporter said at first it appeared the surging was an autothrottle problem and this system was disconnected but had no effect on the surging. On the ground in stl maintenance cleaned the water trap which made no difference. Maintenance reported the fix was an engine fuel control unit.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD82 IN CRUSE AT FL350 DIVERTED DUE TO FLUCTUATING PWR ON THE R ENG CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTIONING ENG FUEL CTL.
Narrative: DURING CRUISE FLT, THE R ENG BEGAN TO SURGE. THE NIGHT EPR FLUCTUATED BTWN 1.79 AND 1.95 EPR. ALL OTHER INSTS FOLLOWED THE SAME FLUCTUATION INDICATION AS THE EPR INDICATION N1, N2, EGT, FC ADVISED MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH OF THE PROB. THE FLT RELEASE WAS AMENDED AND FLT XYZ DIVERTED TO STL. THE NEAREST CITY WAS MCI BUT THE WX WAS 100 FT AND 1/4 MI VISIBILITY IN FOG. STL WAS ONLY 35 MI FARTHER AND THE WX WAS VFR. THEREFORE STL WAS SELECTED AS THE ARPT OF CHOICE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS PWRED WITH 2 P&W JT8D-217 ENGS. THE RPTR SAID AT FIRST IT APPEARED THE SURGING WAS AN AUTOTHROTTLE PROB AND THIS SYS WAS DISCONNECTED BUT HAD NO EFFECT ON THE SURGING. ON THE GND IN STL MAINT CLEANED THE WATER TRAP WHICH MADE NO DIFFERENCE. MAINT RPTED THE FIX WAS AN ENG FUEL CTL UNIT.
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.