Aircraft equipment problem mandates a rerte and lower flight altitude to destination airport.

Attributes
ACN	210886
Time
Date	199205
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sby
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tower : rdu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	210886
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While climbing through FL290 to FL350, fluctuating fuel flow and EPR observed on #2 engine followed by compressor stall on #2 engine. Power was reduced and climb was stopped. Requested and received clearance to FL280. We ran abnormal procedure for compressor stall in flight and engine performance was normal. Elected to continue en route via inland route to mia in case of future problems with engine. We also climbed to FL310 for final cruise altitude. En route flight engineer observed he was unable to xfeed fuel from #1 tank. We monitored situation and fuel never became unbalanced. Landing was uneventful in mia. Mia maintenance discovered #1 xfeed valve knob was installed backwards. In hindsight, compressor stall was probably caused by lack of positive fuel pressure to engine caused by backward xfeed knob. After performing abnormal procedure and after climbing to FL310 with no abnormal indications, I felt engine was reliable and it was safe to proceed to destination, but in the remote chance that we did have a future problem with the engine, we chose the inland route as the safest alternative.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROBLEM MANDATES A RERTE AND LOWER FLT ALT TO DEST ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING THROUGH FL290 TO FL350, FLUCTUATING FUEL FLOW AND EPR OBSERVED ON #2 ENG FOLLOWED BY COMPRESSOR STALL ON #2 ENG. PWR WAS REDUCED AND CLB WAS STOPPED. REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO FL280. WE RAN ABNORMAL PROC FOR COMPRESSOR STALL IN FLT AND ENG PERFORMANCE WAS NORMAL. ELECTED TO CONTINUE ENRTE VIA INLAND RTE TO MIA IN CASE OF FUTURE PROBLEMS WITH ENG. WE ALSO CLBED TO FL310 FOR FINAL CRUISE ALT. ENRTE FLT ENGINEER OBSERVED HE WAS UNABLE TO XFEED FUEL FROM #1 TANK. WE MONITORED SITUATION AND FUEL NEVER BECAME UNBALANCED. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL IN MIA. MIA MAINT DISCOVERED #1 XFEED VALVE KNOB WAS INSTALLED BACKWARDS. IN HINDSIGHT, COMPRESSOR STALL WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY LACK OF POSITIVE FUEL PRESSURE TO ENG CAUSED BY BACKWARD XFEED KNOB. AFTER PERFORMING ABNORMAL PROC AND AFTER CLBING TO FL310 WITH NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS, I FELT ENG WAS RELIABLE AND IT WAS SAFE TO PROCEED TO DEST, BUT IN THE REMOTE CHANCE THAT WE DID HAVE A FUTURE PROBLEM WITH THE ENG, WE CHOSE THE INLAND RTE AS THE SAFEST ALTERNATIVE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.