Narrative:

The following events occurred on a maintenance test flight. I was the PF and the first officer was the PNF (first officer was handling the radios). During the climb phase; we were cleared to an altitude of FL450 and were on vectors from ATC. After passing through FL350; the left engine compressor stalled. Up until the compressor stall; the engine had good indications and was performing normally. We were maintaining an airspeed of .74 mach and the outside air temperature was -20 degrees C at the time of the compressor stall. After trying to maintain altitude; it was apparent to me that we would be unable to. At this point the airspeed was decreasing. In fear of stalling the aircraft and worsening the situation; we began a descent from FL350. I turned the aircraft directly towards the airport as a precaution. I instructed my first officer to declare an emergency; an instruction in which he did not acknowledge nor execute. My first officer began to argue about the situation and my decision to tell ATC about the emergency. To further complicate things; my first officer began to argue with ATC. After repeated attempts by ATC to find out what our problem was; I finally convinced the first officer; in name of safety; to declare an emergency. ATC acknowledged our emergency; cleared us direct to the airport and gave us a lower altitude. After we descended through FL250; the engine was restarted. We notified ATC that the situation was under control and we would like to continue our descent and land. The landing was safe and uneventful. After landing; I received a message from the FBO to call the center supervisor; in which I did immediately. During our conversation; the supervisor had questions regarding why we deviated from heading and altitude. He also questioned why we had not declared an emergency immediately. He mentioned the first officer's tone and attitude with the controllers had implied that we did not actually have an emergency; but declared one in order to receive the priority handling. I explained our side of the story hoping to make it clear that we did indeed had an emergency. He said he would review the tapes and call me. As for the compressor stall; maintenance has been informed of the problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the engine started stalling climbing through FL350 and turned the airplane for the departure station. First officer was told to declare an emergency; but started to argue about declaring an emergency. Maintenance was advised of the engine problems and as far as he knows; both engines were replaced with no details of findings. Callback conversation with reporter acn #656085 revealed the following information: reporter stated that it was the captain's request that no emergency be declared and was a bad decision. The left engine flamed out first and the captain was just getting control of the aircraft when the second engine flamed out. Engine power was regained at FL240. Reporter indicated that the maintenance findings on the engines is unknown; both were removed and sent out.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LEAR 25B IN CLB AT FL350 HAS L ENG COMPRESSOR STALL. DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED.

Narrative: THE FOLLOWING EVENTS OCCURRED ON A MAINT TEST FLT. I WAS THE PF AND THE FO WAS THE PNF (FO WAS HANDLING THE RADIOS). DURING THE CLB PHASE; WE WERE CLRED TO AN ALT OF FL450 AND WERE ON VECTORS FROM ATC. AFTER PASSING THROUGH FL350; THE L ENG COMPRESSOR STALLED. UP UNTIL THE COMPRESSOR STALL; THE ENG HAD GOOD INDICATIONS AND WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY. WE WERE MAINTAINING AN AIRSPD OF .74 MACH AND THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP WAS -20 DEGS C AT THE TIME OF THE COMPRESSOR STALL. AFTER TRYING TO MAINTAIN ALT; IT WAS APPARENT TO ME THAT WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO. AT THIS POINT THE AIRSPD WAS DECREASING. IN FEAR OF STALLING THE ACFT AND WORSENING THE SIT; WE BEGAN A DSCNT FROM FL350. I TURNED THE ACFT DIRECTLY TOWARDS THE ARPT AS A PRECAUTION. I INSTRUCTED MY FO TO DECLARE AN EMER; AN INSTRUCTION IN WHICH HE DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE NOR EXECUTE. MY FO BEGAN TO ARGUE ABOUT THE SIT AND MY DECISION TO TELL ATC ABOUT THE EMER. TO FURTHER COMPLICATE THINGS; MY FO BEGAN TO ARGUE WITH ATC. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS BY ATC TO FIND OUT WHAT OUR PROB WAS; I FINALLY CONVINCED THE FO; IN NAME OF SAFETY; TO DECLARE AN EMER. ATC ACKNOWLEDGED OUR EMER; CLRED US DIRECT TO THE ARPT AND GAVE US A LOWER ALT. AFTER WE DSNDED THROUGH FL250; THE ENG WAS RESTARTED. WE NOTIFIED ATC THAT THE SIT WAS UNDER CTL AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE OUR DSCNT AND LAND. THE LNDG WAS SAFE AND UNEVENTFUL. AFTER LNDG; I RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM THE FBO TO CALL THE CTR SUPVR; IN WHICH I DID IMMEDIATELY. DURING OUR CONVERSATION; THE SUPVR HAD QUESTIONS REGARDING WHY WE DEVIATED FROM HDG AND ALT. HE ALSO QUESTIONED WHY WE HAD NOT DECLARED AN EMER IMMEDIATELY. HE MENTIONED THE FO'S TONE AND ATTITUDE WITH THE CTLRS HAD IMPLIED THAT WE DID NOT ACTUALLY HAVE AN EMER; BUT DECLARED ONE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE PRIORITY HANDLING. I EXPLAINED OUR SIDE OF THE STORY HOPING TO MAKE IT CLR THAT WE DID INDEED HAD AN EMER. HE SAID HE WOULD REVIEW THE TAPES AND CALL ME. AS FOR THE COMPRESSOR STALL; MAINT HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THE PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ENG STARTED STALLING CLBING THROUGH FL350 AND TURNED THE AIRPLANE FOR THE DEP STATION. FO WAS TOLD TO DECLARE AN EMER; BUT STARTED TO ARGUE ABOUT DECLARING AN EMER. MAINT WAS ADVISED OF THE ENG PROBS AND AS FAR AS HE KNOWS; BOTH ENGS WERE REPLACED WITH NO DETAILS OF FINDINGS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN #656085 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT IT WAS THE CAPT'S REQUEST THAT NO EMER BE DECLARED AND WAS A BAD DECISION. THE L ENG FLAMED OUT FIRST AND THE CAPT WAS JUST GETTING CTL OF THE ACFT WHEN THE SECOND ENG FLAMED OUT. ENG PWR WAS REGAINED AT FL240. RPTR INDICATED THAT THE MAINT FINDINGS ON THE ENGS IS UNKNOWN; BOTH WERE REMOVED AND SENT OUT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.