Narrative:

After takeoff and in a level turn at 5000 ft; 250 KTS; we experienced a loud bang and shudder from the #1 engine. ECAM indicated an engine #1 compressor stall. #1 engine rolled back to idle but did not fail. I brought the #1 thrust lever out of the climb detent and pulled it back to idle. We confirmed the engine gauges were normal per checklist and brought power back just above idle to see if the indication would stay normal. Informed ATC that we had an engine malfunction and would be returning to the airport. I can't confirm if we actually declared an emergency or not; but I know we asked for trucks to be standing by and that we would be making a normal landing. After doing checklists we informed the flight attendants and passenger that we had an engine malfunction and that we would be making a normal landing back at the airport. The first officer informed local operations about our situation and asked them to inform ZZZ1. I was flying the aircraft and talking with ATC while the first officer was doing checklists and entering arrival data. The flight landed overweight at 163200 pounds without incident. We taxied clear of the active and shut down engine #1 and crash fire rescue equipment inspected engine before we taxied to the gate. Both the first officer and myself felt no need to shut down the engine as it was producing normal power and all indications were normal. I debriefed the flight attendants and asked them if there was anything that we as pilots could have done differently regarding their duties. They said we covered all items and that things went smoothly. I debriefed with the first officer and the only thing different we would have done is press the emergency flight attendant call button instead of calling the first and having her relay the information to the back. Apparently this aircraft had the same malfunction 2 days prior in ZZZ2.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 AIRBUS FLT CREW HAS A #1 ENG COMPRESSOR STALL; DECLARES EMER AND RETURNS FOR LNDG.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF AND IN A LEVEL TURN AT 5000 FT; 250 KTS; WE EXPERIENCED A LOUD BANG AND SHUDDER FROM THE #1 ENG. ECAM INDICATED AN ENG #1 COMPRESSOR STALL. #1 ENG ROLLED BACK TO IDLE BUT DID NOT FAIL. I BROUGHT THE #1 THRUST LEVER OUT OF THE CLB DETENT AND PULLED IT BACK TO IDLE. WE CONFIRMED THE ENG GAUGES WERE NORMAL PER CHKLIST AND BROUGHT PWR BACK JUST ABOVE IDLE TO SEE IF THE INDICATION WOULD STAY NORMAL. INFORMED ATC THAT WE HAD AN ENG MALFUNCTION AND WOULD BE RETURNING TO THE ARPT. I CAN'T CONFIRM IF WE ACTUALLY DECLARED AN EMER OR NOT; BUT I KNOW WE ASKED FOR TRUCKS TO BE STANDING BY AND THAT WE WOULD BE MAKING A NORMAL LNDG. AFTER DOING CHKLISTS WE INFORMED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX THAT WE HAD AN ENG MALFUNCTION AND THAT WE WOULD BE MAKING A NORMAL LNDG BACK AT THE ARPT. THE FO INFORMED LCL OPS ABOUT OUR SITUATION AND ASKED THEM TO INFORM ZZZ1. I WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND TALKING WITH ATC WHILE THE FO WAS DOING CHKLISTS AND ENTERING ARR DATA. THE FLT LANDED OVERWT AT 163200 LBS WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE TAXIED CLR OF THE ACTIVE AND SHUT DOWN ENG #1 AND CFR INSPECTED ENG BEFORE WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF FELT NO NEED TO SHUT DOWN THE ENG AS IT WAS PRODUCING NORMAL PWR AND ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. I DEBRIEFED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND ASKED THEM IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT WE AS PLTS COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY REGARDING THEIR DUTIES. THEY SAID WE COVERED ALL ITEMS AND THAT THINGS WENT SMOOTHLY. I DEBRIEFED WITH THE FO AND THE ONLY THING DIFFERENT WE WOULD HAVE DONE IS PRESS THE EMER FLT ATTENDANT CALL BUTTON INSTEAD OF CALLING THE FIRST AND HAVING HER RELAY THE INFO TO THE BACK. APPARENTLY THIS ACFT HAD THE SAME MALFUNCTION 2 DAYS PRIOR IN ZZZ2.

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.