Narrative:

On climb out of tampa. We were just out of 4000 ft and just starting to turn to assigned heading of 355 degrees. We experienced a very violent jolt and a very loud bang. Followed by ECAM notification of a compressor stall. We did not hit a bird or any object. It was truly a compressor stall. We elected to level off at 6000 ft to assess what we had. I; as PNF; told first officer to fly the plane; work ATC and I would contact maintenance (comrdo) to get them to downlink data; to aid us in our decision on what we had and any damage. While talking to maintenance; our purser called from the back to let us know that passenger seated behind the engine #2 saw sparks and other material come out of the back on the tail pipe. We flew for approximately 30 mins in the tpa airspace; before making the decision to return to tpa and let maintenance take a look at the engine. Both first officer and I felt that the 'severeness' of the jolt needed to be looked at. We did not feel continuing to ord with WX en route at atl; bna and any possible deviation airport to be our best decision. Also; we elected to keep engine #2 running at normal autothrottle on operations. We had to perform the overweight landing procedure due to overweight landing. Normal landing with no problems. The whole crew performed like clockwork just as strained. The communications from cockpit to cabin were great. First officer did a great job flying and purser and her flight attendant crew were great. Great crew effort.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW DEPARTING TPA EXPERIENCES A COMPRESSOR STALL.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OF TAMPA. WE WERE JUST OUT OF 4000 FT AND JUST STARTING TO TURN TO ASSIGNED HDG OF 355 DEGS. WE EXPERIENCED A VERY VIOLENT JOLT AND A VERY LOUD BANG. FOLLOWED BY ECAM NOTIFICATION OF A COMPRESSOR STALL. WE DID NOT HIT A BIRD OR ANY OBJECT. IT WAS TRULY A COMPRESSOR STALL. WE ELECTED TO LEVEL OFF AT 6000 FT TO ASSESS WHAT WE HAD. I; AS PNF; TOLD FO TO FLY THE PLANE; WORK ATC AND I WOULD CONTACT MAINT (COMRDO) TO GET THEM TO DOWNLINK DATA; TO AID US IN OUR DECISION ON WHAT WE HAD AND ANY DAMAGE. WHILE TALKING TO MAINT; OUR PURSER CALLED FROM THE BACK TO LET US KNOW THAT PAX SEATED BEHIND THE ENG #2 SAW SPARKS AND OTHER MATERIAL COME OUT OF THE BACK ON THE TAIL PIPE. WE FLEW FOR APPROX 30 MINS IN THE TPA AIRSPACE; BEFORE MAKING THE DECISION TO RETURN TO TPA AND LET MAINT TAKE A LOOK AT THE ENG. BOTH FO AND I FELT THAT THE 'SEVERENESS' OF THE JOLT NEEDED TO BE LOOKED AT. WE DID NOT FEEL CONTINUING TO ORD WITH WX ENRTE AT ATL; BNA AND ANY POSSIBLE DEV ARPT TO BE OUR BEST DECISION. ALSO; WE ELECTED TO KEEP ENG #2 RUNNING AT NORMAL AUTOTHROTTLE ON OPS. WE HAD TO PERFORM THE OVERWT LNDG PROC DUE TO OVERWT LNDG. NORMAL LNDG WITH NO PROBS. THE WHOLE CREW PERFORMED LIKE CLOCKWORK JUST AS STRAINED. THE COMS FROM COCKPIT TO CABIN WERE GREAT. FO DID A GREAT JOB FLYING AND PURSER AND HER FLT ATTENDANT CREW WERE GREAT. GREAT CREW EFFORT.

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.