Super MD80 flight crew returned to gate after taxi out due to the right engine compressor stalls.

Attributes
ACN	522105
Time
Date	200108
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Experience	flight attendant time total : 0.125 flight attendant time type : 50
ASRS Report	522105
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine power indication other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 1
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

As aircraft began pushback from the gate, we had started the safety demonstration in the aisle. During the demonstration, we heard a loud thumping sound from the rear of the aircraft. We, flight attendants, reported it to the captain, who informed us that he was aware of the sound. We continued onto the runway for takeoff, but while taxiing out, we heard the loud thumping sound intermittently, coming from the right engine. At this point, I was in my jump seat in the aft portion of the plane, and passenger looked to me and flight attendant #4 for an explanation. As we entered the runway and the pilot started to rev up the engines, the thumping continued. Then the captain announced over the PA that we were returning to the gate so that a mechanic could check on the noise. After arriving at the gate, the captain then announced that everyone should wait onboard until further advised. About 10 mins later, we were instructed to deplane because the aircraft was being taken OTS. The captain later informed me that the thumping sound was the result of a compressor stall, and that he was hesitant to use that term to inform the passenger of the problem, because they could possibly misinterpret the word 'stall.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUPER MD80 FLC RETURNED TO GATE AFTER TAXI OUT DUE TO THE R ENG COMPRESSOR STALLS.

Narrative: AS ACFT BEGAN PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE, WE HAD STARTED THE SAFETY DEMONSTRATION IN THE AISLE. DURING THE DEMONSTRATION, WE HEARD A LOUD THUMPING SOUND FROM THE REAR OF THE ACFT. WE, FLT ATTENDANTS, RPTED IT TO THE CAPT, WHO INFORMED US THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE SOUND. WE CONTINUED ONTO THE RWY FOR TKOF, BUT WHILE TAXIING OUT, WE HEARD THE LOUD THUMPING SOUND INTERMITTENTLY, COMING FROM THE R ENG. AT THIS POINT, I WAS IN MY JUMP SEAT IN THE AFT PORTION OF THE PLANE, AND PAX LOOKED TO ME AND FLT ATTENDANT #4 FOR AN EXPLANATION. AS WE ENTERED THE RWY AND THE PLT STARTED TO REV UP THE ENGS, THE THUMPING CONTINUED. THEN THE CAPT ANNOUNCED OVER THE PA THAT WE WERE RETURNING TO THE GATE SO THAT A MECH COULD CHK ON THE NOISE. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE GATE, THE CAPT THEN ANNOUNCED THAT EVERYONE SHOULD WAIT ONBOARD UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED. ABOUT 10 MINS LATER, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DEPLANE BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS BEING TAKEN OTS. THE CAPT LATER INFORMED ME THAT THE THUMPING SOUND WAS THE RESULT OF A COMPRESSOR STALL, AND THAT HE WAS HESITANT TO USE THAT TERM TO INFORM THE PAX OF THE PROB, BECAUSE THEY COULD POSSIBLY MISINTERPRET THE WORD 'STALL.'

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.