Narrative:

The aircraft had flown before our crew's scheduled flight. The inbound crew had written up the #2 EPR gauge as being unreliable. Write-ups from previous days also indicated a short history of #2 EPR problems. Maintenance replaced #2 EPR gauge and the aircraft discrepancy was signed off, clearing the aircraft for flight. Engine start and taxi were normal. When the throttles were advanced for takeoff, #2 EPR again appeared unreliable, as it was very low. #2 was then set takeoff power by setting 92% N1, which matched nicely with engines #1 and #3. All other engine #2 indications (except EPR) were at normal takeoff settings and matched up with engines #1 and #3. #2 throttle position was ahead of engines #1 and #3. The takeoff and gear and flap retractions were normal. As we attempted to set climb power, using N1, this now also appeared to be unreliable. Engine #2 N1 was lower and N2 was higher than engines #1 and #3. Climb power was set by using fuel flow. At 10000' the F/east reported #2 engine CSD 'in' temperature in the caution range. The F/east then performed the abnormal for this situation. Faced with not really knowing what was happening to #2 engine, the captain elected to return to cincinnati. I completely supported his decision. The engine was not shut down and a normal approach and landing were made on runway 27L. Reports from maintenance indicate the cause of the problem was a crossover bleed duct that had ruptured.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT EXPERIENCED ABNORMAL ENGINE INDICATIONS FROM #2 ENGINE. SMALL DUCT FAILURE.

Narrative: THE ACFT HAD FLOWN BEFORE OUR CREW'S SCHEDULED FLT. THE INBND CREW HAD WRITTEN UP THE #2 EPR GAUGE AS BEING UNRELIABLE. WRITE-UPS FROM PREVIOUS DAYS ALSO INDICATED A SHORT HISTORY OF #2 EPR PROBS. MAINT REPLACED #2 EPR GAUGE AND THE ACFT DISCREPANCY WAS SIGNED OFF, CLEARING THE ACFT FOR FLT. ENG START AND TAXI WERE NORMAL. WHEN THE THROTTLES WERE ADVANCED FOR TKOF, #2 EPR AGAIN APPEARED UNRELIABLE, AS IT WAS VERY LOW. #2 WAS THEN SET TKOF PWR BY SETTING 92% N1, WHICH MATCHED NICELY WITH ENGS #1 AND #3. ALL OTHER ENG #2 INDICATIONS (EXCEPT EPR) WERE AT NORMAL TKOF SETTINGS AND MATCHED UP WITH ENGS #1 AND #3. #2 THROTTLE POS WAS AHEAD OF ENGS #1 AND #3. THE TKOF AND GEAR AND FLAP RETRACTIONS WERE NORMAL. AS WE ATTEMPTED TO SET CLB PWR, USING N1, THIS NOW ALSO APPEARED TO BE UNRELIABLE. ENG #2 N1 WAS LOWER AND N2 WAS HIGHER THAN ENGS #1 AND #3. CLB PWR WAS SET BY USING FUEL FLOW. AT 10000' THE F/E RPTED #2 ENG CSD 'IN' TEMP IN THE CAUTION RANGE. THE F/E THEN PERFORMED THE ABNORMAL FOR THIS SITUATION. FACED WITH NOT REALLY KNOWING WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO #2 ENG, THE CAPT ELECTED TO RETURN TO CINCINNATI. I COMPLETELY SUPPORTED HIS DECISION. THE ENG WAS NOT SHUT DOWN AND A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG WERE MADE ON RWY 27L. RPTS FROM MAINT INDICATE THE CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS A CROSSOVER BLEED DUCT THAT HAD RUPTURED.

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.