Narrative:

As the aircraft was leveling at 17000 ft over the intersection; loud banging and airframe vibration were experienced. Engine instrument scan revealed #1 engine N1 was low relative the #2 engine and all other parameters within appropriate limits. An engine compressor stall was diagnosed and the PF; the first officer; performed the memory items for the engine limit; surge; or stall; while the captain confirmed the immediate action items with the checklist. A call from the flight attendant advised us of the banging and visible flames from the rear of the engine. As the throttle approached idle; the banging stopped and the flight attendants confirmed no more flames from the engine. An emergency was declared; the descent was initiated; and the reference items from the flight manual accomplished. Dispatch was notified via ACARS. Due to the close proximity of the airport; the crew decided not to advance the throttle on the #1 engine because the possibility of recurring tailpipe flames causing additional passenger concern. A cabin advisory was given to the flight attendants and the passenger advised the situation was under control and to expect fire trucks to meet the airplane upon our arrival in ZZZ. The captain became the PF on base and flew a flaps 15 degree approach and landing on runway 16L. The aircraft cleared the runway and shut down the #1 engine. Fire trucks confirmed no visible damage or smoke and the aircraft continued to the gate to deplane passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW HAS AN ENG MALFUNCTION; DECLARES AN EMER AND LANDS.

Narrative: AS THE ACFT WAS LEVELING AT 17000 FT OVER THE INTXN; LOUD BANGING AND AIRFRAME VIBRATION WERE EXPERIENCED. ENG INST SCAN REVEALED #1 ENG N1 WAS LOW RELATIVE THE #2 ENG AND ALL OTHER PARAMETERS WITHIN APPROPRIATE LIMITS. AN ENG COMPRESSOR STALL WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE PF; THE FO; PERFORMED THE MEMORY ITEMS FOR THE ENG LIMIT; SURGE; OR STALL; WHILE THE CAPT CONFIRMED THE IMMEDIATE ACTION ITEMS WITH THE CHKLIST. A CALL FROM THE FLT ATTENDANT ADVISED US OF THE BANGING AND VISIBLE FLAMES FROM THE REAR OF THE ENG. AS THE THROTTLE APCHED IDLE; THE BANGING STOPPED AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS CONFIRMED NO MORE FLAMES FROM THE ENG. AN EMER WAS DECLARED; THE DSCNT WAS INITIATED; AND THE REF ITEMS FROM THE FLT MANUAL ACCOMPLISHED. DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED VIA ACARS. DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX OF THE ARPT; THE CREW DECIDED NOT TO ADVANCE THE THROTTLE ON THE #1 ENG BECAUSE THE POSSIBILITY OF RECURRING TAILPIPE FLAMES CAUSING ADDITIONAL PAX CONCERN. A CABIN ADVISORY WAS GIVEN TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND THE PAX ADVISED THE SITUATION WAS UNDER CTL AND TO EXPECT FIRE TRUCKS TO MEET THE AIRPLANE UPON OUR ARR IN ZZZ. THE CAPT BECAME THE PF ON BASE AND FLEW A FLAPS 15 DEG APCH AND LNDG ON RWY 16L. THE ACFT CLRED THE RWY AND SHUT DOWN THE #1 ENG. FIRE TRUCKS CONFIRMED NO VISIBLE DAMAGE OR SMOKE AND THE ACFT CONTINUED TO THE GATE TO DEPLANE PAX.

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.