Partial power loss on both engines.

Attributes
ACN	281568
Time
Date	199408
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gtk
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma tracon : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time total : 16737 flight time type : 3156
ASRS Report	281568
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Both engines lost power to approximately 1-2-1.3 EPR-IAS bled to approximately 220 KTS. Mach .610 (from .760). An immediate attempt was made to contact ZMA for a lower altitude (290). Unable to contact ATC immediately due to frequency congestion. Descended anyway to FL320 because of impending stall buffet. At FL320 contact was established with miami ATC advising them of the situation. By FL320, power was restored (after use of engine anti-ice) and climb back to FL330 was accomplished, we were in the clear at the time of the power loss. Approximately 15-20 mins earlier engine anti-ice had been used due to tropical thunderstorm activity and visible moisture as cirrus clouds, and as per MD83 procedures. Fuel heat was also applied, however, there was no annunciator panel warning indicating a need for fuel heat. It was noted there was an approximately 15 degree fuel temperature disparity between the left (plus 12 degree centigrade) engine and the right (minus 30 degree centigrade) engine. The flight proceeded on to sju without further incident. Jet fuel controllers? Engine ice in clear air? Bermuda triangle? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: even after 3 months passage of time. The reporter does not know what the problem was. It might have been the performance management system being in the 'performance mode' and then partially failing, or the bermuda triangle. Turning on the engine anti-ice brought the engines back to power.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PARTIAL PWR LOSS ON BOTH ENGS.

Narrative: BOTH ENGS LOST PWR TO APPROX 1-2-1.3 EPR-IAS BLED TO APPROX 220 KTS. MACH .610 (FROM .760). AN IMMEDIATE ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO CONTACT ZMA FOR A LOWER ALT (290). UNABLE TO CONTACT ATC IMMEDIATELY DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. DSNDED ANYWAY TO FL320 BECAUSE OF IMPENDING STALL BUFFET. AT FL320 CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED WITH MIAMI ATC ADVISING THEM OF THE SIT. BY FL320, PWR WAS RESTORED (AFTER USE OF ENG ANTI-ICE) AND CLB BACK TO FL330 WAS ACCOMPLISHED, WE WERE IN THE CLR AT THE TIME OF THE PWR LOSS. APPROX 15-20 MINS EARLIER ENG ANTI-ICE HAD BEEN USED DUE TO TROPICAL TSTM ACTIVITY AND VISIBLE MOISTURE AS CIRRUS CLOUDS, AND AS PER MD83 PROCS. FUEL HEAT WAS ALSO APPLIED, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO ANNUNCIATOR PANEL WARNING INDICATING A NEED FOR FUEL HEAT. IT WAS NOTED THERE WAS AN APPROX 15 DEG FUEL TEMP DISPARITY BTWN THE L (PLUS 12 DEG CENTIGRADE) ENG AND THE R (MINUS 30 DEG CENTIGRADE) ENG. THE FLT PROCEEDED ON TO SJU WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. JET FUEL CTLRS? ENG ICE IN CLR AIR? BERMUDA TRIANGLE? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: EVEN AFTER 3 MONTHS PASSAGE OF TIME. THE RPTR DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROB WAS. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE PERFORMANCE MGMNT SYS BEING IN THE 'PERFORMANCE MODE' AND THEN PARTIALLY FAILING, OR THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE. TURNING ON THE ENG ANTI-ICE BROUGHT THE ENGS BACK TO PWR.

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.