In quick response to ATC to stop climb and return to an lower altitude for traffic, the flight crew ...

Attributes
ACN	338543
Time
Date	199606
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : spa
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28500 msl bound upper : 28500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	other other : other pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	338543
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Although I feel we (cockpit crew) were correct in our handling of the situation, this occurrence is being written up due to a conflicting FAA safety inspector's decision. Safety inspector boarded our flight in atl to cabin inspect our cabin crew to iad. Approximately 20 mins into an 1 hour 15 min flight, we were climbing from FL280 to FL290. The flight conditions consisted of continuous moderate turbulence and 7/10 of the atl area in thunderstorms. ZTL cleared us to descend quickly back to FL280 for traffic. At the time the autoplt, autothrottles and engine heaters were on as the captain (PF) initiated the descent with the vertical speed wheel, the autothrottles retarded and then we heard several quick loud 'pops' that lasted a total of 2 seconds. The #1 flight attendant came up and asked what the noise was. We said that it might have been a compressor stall, however, there was never any abnormal engine or any other indication. The autothrottles remained engaged. They will disengage with any abnormal flux in power. She said that all was ok in the cabin, except that everyone was wondering what the noise was. The #1 flight attendant came back up approximately 2 mins later and said that the FAA inspector wanted to know what was going on in the cockpit. We told her that all was ok. The captain made an informative passenger announcement. This was only a brief one-time occurrence with no abnormal indications, we continued. Our abnormal section of our aom instructs on how to stop the 'popping' noise and secure an engine if unable. It does not instruct to return or land ahead of schedule. When we arrived at iad without any further abnormalities, the FAA inspector queried to why we did not return to atl. We stated that there was no abnormal indications which would go along with the procedure for a compressor stall. The captain felt best to continue and not return to the turbulence in atl with a 'good' aircraft. The inspector said he disagreed and stated that he was writing up a report. I feel the inspector showed total lack of respect for the crew and its knowledge and professionalism -- nor the captain's decision.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN QUICK RESPONSE TO ATC TO STOP CLB AND RETURN TO AN LOWER ALT FOR TFC, THE FLC OF A MD80 IN DOING THAT, IMMEDIATELY UPON RAPID THROTTLE RETARDING HEAR SEVERAL 'POP' SOUNDS, SIMILAR TO AN ENG COMPRESSOR STALL. HOWEVER, ALL ENG INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL AFTER THE INCIDENT, SO THE FLT WAS CONTINUED TO DEST WITH NO PROBS OR NOISES.

Narrative: ALTHOUGH I FEEL WE (COCKPIT CREW) WERE CORRECT IN OUR HANDLING OF THE SIT, THIS OCCURRENCE IS BEING WRITTEN UP DUE TO A CONFLICTING FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR'S DECISION. SAFETY INSPECTOR BOARDED OUR FLT IN ATL TO CABIN INSPECT OUR CABIN CREW TO IAD. APPROX 20 MINS INTO AN 1 HR 15 MIN FLT, WE WERE CLBING FROM FL280 TO FL290. THE FLT CONDITIONS CONSISTED OF CONTINUOUS MODERATE TURB AND 7/10 OF THE ATL AREA IN TSTMS. ZTL CLRED US TO DSND QUICKLY BACK TO FL280 FOR TFC. AT THE TIME THE AUTOPLT, AUTOTHROTTLES AND ENG HEATERS WERE ON AS THE CAPT (PF) INITIATED THE DSCNT WITH THE VERT SPD WHEEL, THE AUTOTHROTTLES RETARDED AND THEN WE HEARD SEVERAL QUICK LOUD 'POPS' THAT LASTED A TOTAL OF 2 SECONDS. THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT CAME UP AND ASKED WHAT THE NOISE WAS. WE SAID THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A COMPRESSOR STALL, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NEVER ANY ABNORMAL ENG OR ANY OTHER INDICATION. THE AUTOTHROTTLES REMAINED ENGAGED. THEY WILL DISENGAGE WITH ANY ABNORMAL FLUX IN PWR. SHE SAID THAT ALL WAS OK IN THE CABIN, EXCEPT THAT EVERYONE WAS WONDERING WHAT THE NOISE WAS. THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT CAME BACK UP APPROX 2 MINS LATER AND SAID THAT THE FAA INSPECTOR WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE COCKPIT. WE TOLD HER THAT ALL WAS OK. THE CAPT MADE AN INFORMATIVE PAX ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS WAS ONLY A BRIEF ONE-TIME OCCURRENCE WITH NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS, WE CONTINUED. OUR ABNORMAL SECTION OF OUR AOM INSTRUCTS ON HOW TO STOP THE 'POPPING' NOISE AND SECURE AN ENG IF UNABLE. IT DOES NOT INSTRUCT TO RETURN OR LAND AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT IAD WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ABNORMALITIES, THE FAA INSPECTOR QUERIED TO WHY WE DID NOT RETURN TO ATL. WE STATED THAT THERE WAS NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS WHICH WOULD GO ALONG WITH THE PROC FOR A COMPRESSOR STALL. THE CAPT FELT BEST TO CONTINUE AND NOT RETURN TO THE TURB IN ATL WITH A 'GOOD' ACFT. THE INSPECTOR SAID HE DISAGREED AND STATED THAT HE WAS WRITING UP A RPT. I FEEL THE INSPECTOR SHOWED TOTAL LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE CREW AND ITS KNOWLEDGE AND PROFESSIONALISM -- NOR THE CAPT'S DECISION.

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.