A B757-200 flight crew experienced left engine surging in cruise flight over the pacific. Returned t...

Attributes
ACN	702501
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : clure
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhn.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	702501
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine instruments other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft

Narrative:

During cruise at FL360 approaching clure on R465 the left engine suddenly retarded to idle followed by thrust increases and then retarding again (surging). The autothrottle was immediately selected off and the autoplt disconnected. The engine bleed was selected closed with no help in either case. Since there was recent left engine history of compressor stall and bleed air problems and the fact we had just terminated radar control with ZHN ARTCC I asked the first officer to contact them on VHF and request an immediate return. I advised dispatch and requested the crash fire rescue equipment equipment stand by for our overweight landing on runway 8L as a precaution. I also advised operations of our return. The engine returned to normal operations by FL240 and the remainder of the flight was uneventful. The landing was normal with no brakes used. Maintenance was debriefed on our arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED L ENG SURGING IN CRUISE FLT OVER THE PACIFIC. RETURNED TO HNL.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE AT FL360 APCHING CLURE ON R465 THE L ENG SUDDENLY RETARDED TO IDLE FOLLOWED BY THRUST INCREASES AND THEN RETARDING AGAIN (SURGING). THE AUTOTHROTTLE WAS IMMEDIATELY SELECTED OFF AND THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED. THE ENG BLEED WAS SELECTED CLOSED WITH NO HELP IN EITHER CASE. SINCE THERE WAS RECENT L ENG HISTORY OF COMPRESSOR STALL AND BLEED AIR PROBS AND THE FACT WE HAD JUST TERMINATED RADAR CTL WITH ZHN ARTCC I ASKED THE FO TO CONTACT THEM ON VHF AND REQUEST AN IMMEDIATE RETURN. I ADVISED DISPATCH AND REQUESTED THE CFR EQUIP STAND BY FOR OUR OVERWT LNDG ON RWY 8L AS A PRECAUTION. I ALSO ADVISED OPS OF OUR RETURN. THE ENG RETURNED TO NORMAL OPS BY FL240 AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL WITH NO BRAKES USED. MAINT WAS DEBRIEFED ON OUR ARR.

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.

A B757-200 flight crew experienced left engine surging in cruise flight over the pacific. Returned to hnl.