A CRJ200 on climb at 15000 ft; heard a small thud. All engine; hydraulics; and flight control system...

Attributes
ACN	674936
Time
Date	200510
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	674936
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Upon passing approximately 15000 ft; heard a small thud. Immediately checked both engines. All normal in green band/arcs. Vibration gauges left=0.2; right=0.4. All systems (electric; hydraulic; ecs; anti-ice; flight controls; etc) were normal. Flight attendant called and also heard small thud. Told her we were busy checking systems; but so far everything was normal. We would call her back later; which we did. We had no warning or caution messages. I was very seriously considering returning to phl; however; due to the fact that all engine indications were in the green range; we elected to continue. Also considered that we had many options: lots of fuel (fuel at landing estimated 3900 pounds); many diversion airports en route; and WX was VMC. We also thought it could have been wake turbulence from a preceding aircraft; or our plane's creaking noise as cabin pressure normally increases at climb out; etc. Left engine: itt 770 degrees; ff 1450; vibration 0.2. Right engine: itt 802 degrees; ff 1550; vibration 0.4. We continuously monitored the engine instruments for remainder of the flight. After landing in ZZZ; I did the post flight and noticed left silver tailpipe missing. If we had any indications in the cockpit of this; we would have returned to phl immediately. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated after the thud was heard; the instruments were scanned and everything was normal and no vibration indications from engine vibration monitors were noted before and after the landing. The report from maintenance on the missing exhaust nozzle and fairing indicated the nozzle is fastened to the aft turbine module with 65 rivets. The reporter indicated one or two adjacent rivets failed and all of the rivets failed progressively around the turbine module aft mounting ring. Rptedly the NTSB has recovered the nozzle and fairing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 ON CLB AT 15000 FT; HEARD A SMALL THUD. ALL ENG; HYDRAULICS; AND FLT CTL SYSTEMS INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. ON GND; INSPECTION FOUND L ENG EXHAUST NOZZLE AND FAIRING MISSING.

Narrative: UPON PASSING APPROX 15000 FT; HEARD A SMALL THUD. IMMEDIATELY CHKED BOTH ENGS. ALL NORMAL IN GREEN BAND/ARCS. VIBRATION GAUGES L=0.2; R=0.4. ALL SYSTEMS (ELECTRIC; HYDRAULIC; ECS; ANTI-ICE; FLT CTLS; ETC) WERE NORMAL. FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND ALSO HEARD SMALL THUD. TOLD HER WE WERE BUSY CHKING SYSTEMS; BUT SO FAR EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. WE WOULD CALL HER BACK LATER; WHICH WE DID. WE HAD NO WARNING OR CAUTION MESSAGES. I WAS VERY SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING RETURNING TO PHL; HOWEVER; DUE TO THE FACT THAT ALL ENG INDICATIONS WERE IN THE GREEN RANGE; WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE. ALSO CONSIDERED THAT WE HAD MANY OPTIONS: LOTS OF FUEL (FUEL AT LNDG ESTIMATED 3900 LBS); MANY DIVERSION ARPTS ENRTE; AND WX WAS VMC. WE ALSO THOUGHT IT COULD HAVE BEEN WAKE TURB FROM A PRECEDING ACFT; OR OUR PLANE'S CREAKING NOISE AS CABIN PRESSURE NORMALLY INCREASES AT CLBOUT; ETC. L ENG: ITT 770 DEGS; FF 1450; VIBRATION 0.2. R ENG: ITT 802 DEGS; FF 1550; VIBRATION 0.4. WE CONTINUOUSLY MONITORED THE ENG INSTRUMENTS FOR REMAINDER OF THE FLT. AFTER LNDG IN ZZZ; I DID THE POST FLT AND NOTICED L SILVER TAILPIPE MISSING. IF WE HAD ANY INDICATIONS IN THE COCKPIT OF THIS; WE WOULD HAVE RETURNED TO PHL IMMEDIATELY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED AFTER THE THUD WAS HEARD; THE INSTRUMENTS WERE SCANNED AND EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL AND NO VIBRATION INDICATIONS FROM ENG VIBRATION MONITORS WERE NOTED BEFORE AND AFTER THE LNDG. THE RPT FROM MAINT ON THE MISSING EXHAUST NOZZLE AND FAIRING INDICATED THE NOZZLE IS FASTENED TO THE AFT TURBINE MODULE WITH 65 RIVETS. THE RPTR INDICATED ONE OR TWO ADJACENT RIVETS FAILED AND ALL OF THE RIVETS FAILED PROGRESSIVELY AROUND THE TURBINE MODULE AFT MOUNTING RING. RPTEDLY THE NTSB HAS RECOVERED THE NOZZLE AND FAIRING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A CRJ200 on climb at 15000 ft; heard a small thud. All engine; hydraulics; and flight control systems indications were normal. On ground; inspection found left engine exhaust nozzle and fairing missing.