An air carrier large transport crew suffered an engine seizure.

Attributes
ACN	225163
Time
Date	199210
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	225163
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The captain and I heard a loud bang and felt a large, increasing airframe vibration and resultant loss of power on left side. We accomplished the emergency engine failure seizure checklist and declared an emergency with ATC and asked for radar vectors to return to ord. We notified the first flight attendant. We finished all checklists and landed normally with single engine. I think the engine failure seizure was caused by a possible bearing failure or something which caused a massive compressor stall. I don't think it could have been prevented. Air carrier's training procedures worked well in handling the situation. Both the captain and I knew the engine had seized, but I feel we should have taken a little more time in analyzing the engine instruments before cutting the fuel and pulling the fire handle. I was a little surprised at how busy the PNF really is in a situation of this kind. A 2 man crew operation is ok during normal operations, but during any emergency or abnormal operations, both crew members need to be aware of hazards of going too fast and not taking time to double check each other and communicate totally with each other.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT CREW SUFFERED AN ENG SEIZURE.

Narrative: THE CAPT AND I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND FELT A LARGE, INCREASING AIRFRAME VIBRATION AND RESULTANT LOSS OF PWR ON L SIDE. WE ACCOMPLISHED THE EMER ENG FAILURE SEIZURE CHKLIST AND DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC AND ASKED FOR RADAR VECTORS TO RETURN TO ORD. WE NOTIFIED THE FIRST FLT ATTENDANT. WE FINISHED ALL CHKLISTS AND LANDED NORMALLY WITH SINGLE ENG. I THINK THE ENG FAILURE SEIZURE WAS CAUSED BY A POSSIBLE BEARING FAILURE OR SOMETHING WHICH CAUSED A MASSIVE COMPRESSOR STALL. I DON'T THINK IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. ACR'S TRAINING PROCS WORKED WELL IN HANDLING THE SITUATION. BOTH THE CAPT AND I KNEW THE ENG HAD SEIZED, BUT I FEEL WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN A LITTLE MORE TIME IN ANALYZING THE ENG INSTS BEFORE CUTTING THE FUEL AND PULLING THE FIRE HANDLE. I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED AT HOW BUSY THE PNF REALLY IS IN A SITUATION OF THIS KIND. A 2 MAN CREW OP IS OK DURING NORMAL OPS, BUT DURING ANY EMER OR ABNORMAL OPS, BOTH CREW MEMBERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF HAZARDS OF GOING TOO FAST AND NOT TAKING TIME TO DOUBLE CHK EACH OTHER AND COMMUNICATE TOTALLY WITH EACH OTHER.

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.