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B737 flight crew reports engine vibration and compressor stalls approaching cruise altitude. Egt limits are exceeded. Flight crew elects to return to departure airport at reduced power settings.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 752234 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200709 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 752324 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to alternate |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
We noticed the vibration monitor on #2 engine was approximately 3 in the early part of the climb. Near top of climb; #2 engine began a series of 3 quick compressor stalls. The egt rapidly rose to red light (740). We quickly reduced thrust to keep the temperature within limits. The engine settled down. However; the readings were still indicating an egt 120 degrees higher and N2 was reading approximately 10% lower than #1 engine. We operated at lower power settings. We heard the compressor stalls and saw the instrument readings. Completed qrc/QRH engine limit/surge/stall. Contacted maintenance and director of operations. Briefed flight attendants. Made passenger PA. Returned to ZZZ. Internal engine damage. Unavoidable. Should buy next generation boeings.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737 FLT CREW REPORTS ENGINE VIBRATION AND COMPRESSOR STALLS APPROACHING CRUISE ALTITUDE. EGT LIMITS ARE EXCEEDED. FLT CREW ELECTS TO RETURN TO DEPARTURE ARPT AT REDUCED POWER SETTINGS.
Narrative: WE NOTICED THE VIBRATION MONITOR ON #2 ENG WAS APPROX 3 IN THE EARLY PART OF THE CLB. NEAR TOP OF CLB; #2 ENG BEGAN A SERIES OF 3 QUICK COMPRESSOR STALLS. THE EGT RAPIDLY ROSE TO RED LIGHT (740). WE QUICKLY REDUCED THRUST TO KEEP THE TEMP WITHIN LIMITS. THE ENG SETTLED DOWN. HOWEVER; THE READINGS WERE STILL INDICATING AN EGT 120 DEGS HIGHER AND N2 WAS READING APPROX 10% LOWER THAN #1 ENG. WE OPERATED AT LOWER PWR SETTINGS. WE HEARD THE COMPRESSOR STALLS AND SAW THE INST READINGS. COMPLETED QRC/QRH ENG LIMIT/SURGE/STALL. CONTACTED MAINT AND DIRECTOR OF OPS. BRIEFED FLT ATTENDANTS. MADE PAX PA. RETURNED TO ZZZ. INTERNAL ENG DAMAGE. UNAVOIDABLE. SHOULD BUY NEXT GENERATION BOEINGS.
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.