FOD damage to fan blades of air carrier medium large transport.

Attributes
ACN	100871
Time
Date	198812
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mke airport : ind
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mke
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 172 flight time total : 10300 flight time type : 1986
ASRS Report	100871
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

By the time I arrived in mke heavy snow had changed to light rain. To get to the gate I crossed a slush/snow covered ramp. I had no reason to suspect it had caused any problem. The next morning the flight from mke to ind appeared normal. Flying from ind to mco I noticed a left engine vibration which increased in intensity during the descent. In mco a visibility inspection showed a nick in the top of one fan blade with related shingling to some of the adjacent blades. I don't have any way of knowing for sure where the FOD damage occurred, however when questioned 24 hours later, ramp personnel at mke reported having seen a cloud of snow ingested by the engine the previous night. They should be trained to report anything out of the ordinary so that it can be inspected immediately. How deep is too deep to taxi in? In general, when I try to get an answer from the factory on any subject the response is, 'if you find out, let us know.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOD DAMAGE TO FAN BLADES OF ACR MLG.

Narrative: BY THE TIME I ARRIVED IN MKE HVY SNOW HAD CHANGED TO LIGHT RAIN. TO GET TO THE GATE I CROSSED A SLUSH/SNOW COVERED RAMP. I HAD NO REASON TO SUSPECT IT HAD CAUSED ANY PROBLEM. THE NEXT MORNING THE FLT FROM MKE TO IND APPEARED NORMAL. FLYING FROM IND TO MCO I NOTICED A LEFT ENG VIBRATION WHICH INCREASED IN INTENSITY DURING THE DSCNT. IN MCO A VIS INSPECTION SHOWED A NICK IN THE TOP OF ONE FAN BLADE WITH RELATED SHINGLING TO SOME OF THE ADJACENT BLADES. I DON'T HAVE ANY WAY OF KNOWING FOR SURE WHERE THE FOD DAMAGE OCCURRED, HOWEVER WHEN QUESTIONED 24 HRS LATER, RAMP PERSONNEL AT MKE RPTED HAVING SEEN A CLOUD OF SNOW INGESTED BY THE ENG THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. THEY SHOULD BE TRAINED TO RPT ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY SO THAT IT CAN BE INSPECTED IMMEDIATELY. HOW DEEP IS TOO DEEP TO TAXI IN? IN GENERAL, WHEN I TRY TO GET AN ANSWER FROM THE FACTORY ON ANY SUBJECT THE RESPONSE IS, 'IF YOU FIND OUT, LET US KNOW.'

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.