Narrative:

I was the captain on air carrier flight xyz from mco to dtw. We originated in dtw for a roundtrip dtw-mco-dtw. The aircraft operated normally from dtw to mco. We refueled and the first officer did his postflt exterior walkaround and did not note any irregularities. We pushed back from the gate and I started the right engine first. All indications were normal. The taxi out, takeoff and climb out were all normal when the right engine suddenly spooled down without any warning. The autoplt disconnected, and there was moderate vibration from the right engine. I immediately declared an emergency with ATC. I told them the nature of our problem, and requested a lower altitude. We were cleared to FL240. I asked where was the nearest airport. I knew that I did not have approach plates or landing data for augusta. I asked how far away atlanta was. I was told it was 140 mi to our wnw. I knew atlanta had a 12000 ft runway. Even though the WX was IFR the forecast was for improvement. We accomplished all necessary briefings for flight attendants and passenger, completed the engine failure checklist first and made an uneventful landing in atl. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a DC9-50 pwred with P&west JT8D-15 engines and the power loss was caused by a high stage compressor blade failure. The reporter said the failure was contained.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-50 IN CRUISE AT FL330 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO THE LOSS OF PWR IN R ENG CAUSED BY A CONTAINED COMPRESSOR BLADE FAILURE.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON ACR FLT XYZ FROM MCO TO DTW. WE ORIGINATED IN DTW FOR A ROUNDTRIP DTW-MCO-DTW. THE ACFT OPERATED NORMALLY FROM DTW TO MCO. WE REFUELED AND THE FO DID HIS POSTFLT EXTERIOR WALKAROUND AND DID NOT NOTE ANY IRREGULARITIES. WE PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE AND I STARTED THE R ENG FIRST. ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. THE TAXI OUT, TKOF AND CLBOUT WERE ALL NORMAL WHEN THE R ENG SUDDENLY SPOOLED DOWN WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED, AND THERE WAS MODERATE VIBRATION FROM THE R ENG. I IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC. I TOLD THEM THE NATURE OF OUR PROB, AND REQUESTED A LOWER ALT. WE WERE CLRED TO FL240. I ASKED WHERE WAS THE NEAREST ARPT. I KNEW THAT I DID NOT HAVE APCH PLATES OR LNDG DATA FOR AUGUSTA. I ASKED HOW FAR AWAY ATLANTA WAS. I WAS TOLD IT WAS 140 MI TO OUR WNW. I KNEW ATLANTA HAD A 12000 FT RWY. EVEN THOUGH THE WX WAS IFR THE FORECAST WAS FOR IMPROVEMENT. WE ACCOMPLISHED ALL NECESSARY BRIEFINGS FOR FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX, COMPLETED THE ENG FAILURE CHKLIST FIRST AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG IN ATL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A DC9-50 PWRED WITH P&W JT8D-15 ENGS AND THE PWR LOSS WAS CAUSED BY A HIGH STAGE COMPRESSOR BLADE FAILURE. THE RPTR SAID THE FAILURE WAS CONTAINED.

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.