B767 flight crew assumes rough ride during climb to altitude is a wake turbulence encounter, and the...

Attributes
ACN	595432
Time
Date	200309
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc.artcc
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	595432
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	595433
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : turbulence other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewb other other : 5
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On climb out, approximately FL210 flew through what appeared to be wake turbulence or jet wash. Event lasted approximately 3-4 seconds. Noticed no abnormal readings on any instruments. First officer #2 received call from flight attendant saying that he had felt a 'thump' and see a 'flash.' first officer #2 talked to flight attendant at length about thump and flash. Concluded that the thump was from turbulence or jet wash and the flash was probably from sun coming through a window as I rolled out of the turn. Approximately 3 hours later (I have all ACARS messages with time stamp), and first officer #1 (I was on break) received ACARS message from maintenance asking if we had any information on compressor stall detected by eec's. We had no information about stall, and told them that we had flown through the previously mentioned turbulence/jet wash, but had no abnormal indications at time of incident or presently. Maintenance told us that they would schedule unspecified checks in eddm. Upon arrival in eddm, was informed by maintenance that aircraft was being removed from service until inspections were performed. Next day, told by maintenance that all checks/inspections were normal, but aircraft was removed from ETOPS status.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 FLT CREW ASSUMES ROUGH RIDE DURING CLB TO ALT IS A WAKE TURB ENCOUNTER, AND THE FLASH OBSERVED OUTSIDE ACFT IS SUN ENTERING THE WINDOW. TELEMETRY DATA RECEIVED BY MAINT INDICATES THAT COMPRESSOR STALL OCCURRED.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT, APPROX FL210 FLEW THROUGH WHAT APPEARED TO BE WAKE TURB OR JET WASH. EVENT LASTED APPROX 3-4 SECONDS. NOTICED NO ABNORMAL READINGS ON ANY INSTS. FO #2 RECEIVED CALL FROM FLT ATTENDANT SAYING THAT HE HAD FELT A 'THUMP' AND SEE A 'FLASH.' FO #2 TALKED TO FLT ATTENDANT AT LENGTH ABOUT THUMP AND FLASH. CONCLUDED THAT THE THUMP WAS FROM TURB OR JET WASH AND THE FLASH WAS PROBABLY FROM SUN COMING THROUGH A WINDOW AS I ROLLED OUT OF THE TURN. APPROX 3 HRS LATER (I HAVE ALL ACARS MESSAGES WITH TIME STAMP), AND FO #1 (I WAS ON BREAK) RECEIVED ACARS MESSAGE FROM MAINT ASKING IF WE HAD ANY INFO ON COMPRESSOR STALL DETECTED BY EEC'S. WE HAD NO INFO ABOUT STALL, AND TOLD THEM THAT WE HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED TURB/JET WASH, BUT HAD NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS AT TIME OF INCIDENT OR PRESENTLY. MAINT TOLD US THAT THEY WOULD SCHEDULE UNSPECIFIED CHKS IN EDDM. UPON ARR IN EDDM, WAS INFORMED BY MAINT THAT ACFT WAS BEING REMOVED FROM SVC UNTIL INSPECTIONS WERE PERFORMED. NEXT DAY, TOLD BY MAINT THAT ALL CHKS/INSPECTIONS WERE NORMAL, BUT ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM ETOPS STATUS.

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.

B767 flight crew assumes rough ride during climb to altitude is a wake turbulence encounter, and the flash observed outside aircraft is sun entering the window. Telemetry data received by maintenance indicates that compressor stall occurred.