Narrative:

Upon level off at 33000', #6 leading edge intransit light illuminated and quickly extinguished. Just after it went out, #2 engine EPR and N1 became erratic and loud popping noises were heard (somewhat like a compressor stall). I turned to the F/east panel to make sure essential power was protected and started to download as a precaution. When I turned back the captain (who was flying) had throttled back and started descending. He told the first officer to tell ATC we were descending. The first officer got through and ATC gave us a lower altitude. The engine returned to normal. No emergency was declared and neither pilot set in 7700 prior to descent. I feel there would have been more coordination if the captain and first officer didn't hate flying with each other. They also each feel the other is a poor pilot and do not trust one another to do the proper job. Each pilot took every opportunity to let me know what he thought of the other. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: when asked, reporter said that captain did not even attempt to maintain FL330 but rather began descent immediately. She said that the animosity between the captain and first officer had nothing to do with a work stoppage. She felt there was a total lack of communication between the captain and first officer. She said they continued to destination with the engine at idle. She said some brown residue was found in a drain line but is not sure if this had any relationship with the compressor stall.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT HAS COMPRESSOR STALL AND DESCENDS IMMEDIATELY FROM CRUISE ALT.

Narrative: UPON LEVEL OFF AT 33000', #6 LEADING EDGE INTRANSIT LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED. JUST AFTER IT WENT OUT, #2 ENGINE EPR AND N1 BECAME ERRATIC AND LOUD POPPING NOISES WERE HEARD (SOMEWHAT LIKE A COMPRESSOR STALL). I TURNED TO THE F/E PANEL TO MAKE SURE ESSENTIAL POWER WAS PROTECTED AND STARTED TO DOWNLOAD AS A PRECAUTION. WHEN I TURNED BACK THE CAPTAIN (WHO WAS FLYING) HAD THROTTLED BACK AND STARTED DESCENDING. HE TOLD THE F/O TO TELL ATC WE WERE DESCENDING. THE F/O GOT THROUGH AND ATC GAVE US A LOWER ALTITUDE. THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL. NO EMER WAS DECLARED AND NEITHER PLT SET IN 7700 PRIOR TO DESCENT. I FEEL THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE COORDINATION IF THE CAPTAIN AND F/O DIDN'T HATE FLYING WITH EACH OTHER. THEY ALSO EACH FEEL THE OTHER IS A POOR PLT AND DO NOT TRUST ONE ANOTHER TO DO THE PROPER JOB. EACH PLT TOOK EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO LET ME KNOW WHAT HE THOUGHT OF THE OTHER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: WHEN ASKED, RPTR SAID THAT CAPT DID NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN FL330 BUT RATHER BEGAN DESCENT IMMEDIATELY. SHE SAID THAT THE ANIMOSITY BETWEEN THE CAPT AND F/O HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH A WORK STOPPAGE. SHE FELT THERE WAS A TOTAL LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CAPT AND F/O. SHE SAID THEY CONTINUED TO DEST WITH THE ENGINE AT IDLE. SHE SAID SOME BROWN RESIDUE WAS FOUND IN A DRAIN LINE BUT IS NOT SURE IF THIS HAD ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMPRESSOR STALL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.