Passenger reported something rubber fell off the right engine. Flight crew investigated and diverted...

Attributes
ACN	578327
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zau.artcc
State Reference	IL
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc tower : eyw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 2 flight attendant time total : 2
ASRS Report	578327
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : person 2
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

About 1 hour and 20 min into our flight crew, flight crew attendant #4 approached the cockpit with a digital camera. She told me that a passenger had taken a picture of the right side engine, and she needed to show it to the captain. After showing the picture to the captain, the captain went out to talk to the photographer to discuss what he had seen. Flight crew attendant #4 had told me that the passenger saw a piece of rubber tearing away from the engine. After discussing the incident with the passenger, the captain returned to the cockpit to make contact with maintenance. He then made a PA announcing that as a precaution, we would be diverting to ord instead of dfw. Approximately 25 mins after this, we safely landed at ord airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX RPTED SOMETHING RUBBER FELL OFF THE R ENG. FLC INVESTIGATED AND DIVERTED TO ORD.

Narrative: ABOUT 1 HR AND 20 MIN INTO OUR FLT CREW, FLT CREW ATTENDANT #4 APCHED THE COCKPIT WITH A DIGITAL CAMERA. SHE TOLD ME THAT A PAX HAD TAKEN A PICTURE OF THE R SIDE ENG, AND SHE NEEDED TO SHOW IT TO THE CAPT. AFTER SHOWING THE PICTURE TO THE CAPT, THE CAPT WENT OUT TO TALK TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER TO DISCUSS WHAT HE HAD SEEN. FLT CREW ATTENDANT #4 HAD TOLD ME THAT THE PAX SAW A PIECE OF RUBBER TEARING AWAY FROM THE ENG. AFTER DISCUSSING THE INCIDENT WITH THE PAX, THE CAPT RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH MAINT. HE THEN MADE A PA ANNOUNCING THAT AS A PRECAUTION, WE WOULD BE DIVERTING TO ORD INSTEAD OF DFW. APPROX 25 MINS AFTER THIS, WE SAFELY LANDED AT ORD ARPT.

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.

Passenger reported something rubber fell off the right engine. Flight crew investigated and diverted to ord.