An air carrier MD80 departed from sanded snow runway at rdu. During the initial climb, the flight at...

Attributes
ACN	325104
Time
Date	199601
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu tower : rdu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	325104
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Departed runway 23R at rdu en route to ord. Runway 23L closed. Runway 23R reported braking fair to poor with 1/4 - 1/2 inch sanded snow. Runway checked by company B757 and S80 capts 20 mins prior to departure. Third of 3 company S80's to depart on runway 23R. After departure, climbing through 600 ft, flight attendants in aft cabin called to report a loud noise and vibration on the left side of aircraft. Both engines were performing normally except fuel flow 1500-2000 pounds higher on the left engine. The left engine fuel flow began to fluctuate by 1000-2000 pounds but no engine surge or appreciable disparity between N1, N2, egt, or EPR. While I talked to flight attendants, copilot leveled the aircraft at 11000 ft and informed ATC of a possible problem. I suspected that we had either a damaged engine or a fuel leak, however, when the power was retarded below 1.4 EPR both engines matched closely including fuel flow. Elected to not return to rdu because of the runway conditions -- the crosswind and possible single engine landing. Informed ATC of our problem and requested an initial vector to chs. Continued flight to chs. Engine performed capably and landed uneventfully at chs. Selected chs because of the dry 9000 ft runway. After gate arrival at chs contract mechanic found the left engine damaged. First officer performed admirably while flying the aircraft, talking to ATC and readying his pubs for the landing at chs. He also flew a flawless precautionary approach and landing. Flight attendants were professional.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD80 DEPARTED FROM SANDED SNOW RWY AT RDU. DURING THE INITIAL CLB, THE FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT CALLED AND INFORMED THE COCKPIT CREW OF L ENG NOISE AND VIBRATION. THE FLT WAS DIVERTED.

Narrative: DEPARTED RWY 23R AT RDU ENRTE TO ORD. RWY 23L CLOSED. RWY 23R RPTED BRAKING FAIR TO POOR WITH 1/4 - 1/2 INCH SANDED SNOW. RWY CHKED BY COMPANY B757 AND S80 CAPTS 20 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. THIRD OF 3 COMPANY S80'S TO DEPART ON RWY 23R. AFTER DEP, CLBING THROUGH 600 FT, FLT ATTENDANTS IN AFT CABIN CALLED TO RPT A LOUD NOISE AND VIBRATION ON THE L SIDE OF ACFT. BOTH ENGS WERE PERFORMING NORMALLY EXCEPT FUEL FLOW 1500-2000 LBS HIGHER ON THE L ENG. THE L ENG FUEL FLOW BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE BY 1000-2000 LBS BUT NO ENG SURGE OR APPRECIABLE DISPARITY BTWN N1, N2, EGT, OR EPR. WHILE I TALKED TO FLT ATTENDANTS, COPLT LEVELED THE ACFT AT 11000 FT AND INFORMED ATC OF A POSSIBLE PROB. I SUSPECTED THAT WE HAD EITHER A DAMAGED ENG OR A FUEL LEAK, HOWEVER, WHEN THE PWR WAS RETARDED BELOW 1.4 EPR BOTH ENGS MATCHED CLOSELY INCLUDING FUEL FLOW. ELECTED TO NOT RETURN TO RDU BECAUSE OF THE RWY CONDITIONS -- THE XWIND AND POSSIBLE SINGLE ENG LNDG. INFORMED ATC OF OUR PROB AND REQUESTED AN INITIAL VECTOR TO CHS. CONTINUED FLT TO CHS. ENG PERFORMED CAPABLY AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT CHS. SELECTED CHS BECAUSE OF THE DRY 9000 FT RWY. AFTER GATE ARR AT CHS CONTRACT MECH FOUND THE L ENG DAMAGED. FO PERFORMED ADMIRABLY WHILE FLYING THE ACFT, TALKING TO ATC AND READYING HIS PUBS FOR THE LNDG AT CHS. HE ALSO FLEW A FLAWLESS PRECAUTIONARY APCH AND LNDG. FLT ATTENDANTS WERE PROFESSIONAL.

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.

An air carrier MD80 departed from sanded snow runway at rdu. During the initial climb, the flight attendants in the rear of the aircraft called and informed the cockpit crew of left engine noise and vibration. The flight was diverted.