B737-200 crew hit a plastic sheet which caused an engine compressor stall on climb out at stl.

Attributes
ACN	503984
Time
Date	200103
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : t75.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	503984
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
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 controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On departure passing 15000 ft, we felt a jerk -- as if something hit the left side of the aircraft or the left engine stalled. The left engine egt was slightly higher than the right, within limits and stable. All other indications were normal. On return to stl, an emergency was declared due to the unknown nature of the problem. On the arrival to stl, the left EPR was zero with the throttle at idle. Other engine, the EPR was normal as throttle was advanced. An uneventful approach and landing were made using precautionary single engine flaps 15 degrees engine failure checklist procedures. After landing, the fire equipment checked us over and we taxied to the gate. Inspection of the left engine revealed a plastic/nylon substance in the intake/blades/exhaust area. All of the substance was removed by a qualified mechanic and the engine ran to takeoff power in a remote location at stl with the flight crew and mechanic on board. No abnormalities were noted and the aircraft returned to service by the mechanic. Stl departure/approach did an outstanding job handling our expeditious return. They kept us on a single frequency for the last part of the approach and landing which is an outstanding service.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 CREW HIT A PLASTIC SHEET WHICH CAUSED AN ENG COMPRESSOR STALL ON CLBOUT AT STL.

Narrative: ON DEP PASSING 15000 FT, WE FELT A JERK -- AS IF SOMETHING HIT THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT OR THE L ENG STALLED. THE L ENG EGT WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE R, WITHIN LIMITS AND STABLE. ALL OTHER INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. ON RETURN TO STL, AN EMER WAS DECLARED DUE TO THE UNKNOWN NATURE OF THE PROB. ON THE ARR TO STL, THE L EPR WAS ZERO WITH THE THROTTLE AT IDLE. OTHER ENG, THE EPR WAS NORMAL AS THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED. AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG WERE MADE USING PRECAUTIONARY SINGLE ENG FLAPS 15 DEGS ENG FAILURE CHKLIST PROCS. AFTER LNDG, THE FIRE EQUIP CHKED US OVER AND WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. INSPECTION OF THE L ENG REVEALED A PLASTIC/NYLON SUBSTANCE IN THE INTAKE/BLADES/EXHAUST AREA. ALL OF THE SUBSTANCE WAS REMOVED BY A QUALIFIED MECH AND THE ENG RAN TO TKOF PWR IN A REMOTE LOCATION AT STL WITH THE FLC AND MECH ON BOARD. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED AND THE ACFT RETURNED TO SVC BY THE MECH. STL DEP/APCH DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB HANDLING OUR EXPEDITIOUS RETURN. THEY KEPT US ON A SINGLE FREQ FOR THE LAST PART OF THE APCH AND LNDG WHICH IS AN OUTSTANDING SVC.

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.