B757 captain reports engine failure during climb at FL280 and subsequent return to departure airport...

Attributes
ACN	727612
Time
Date	200702
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	727612
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

My flight was climbing out to FL290 with autoplt and autothrottle on. At FL280 the right engine failed with no prior indications leading to failure. Autothrottle disengaged; I disengaged autoplt and trimmed airplane. First officer declared an emergency with ATC and we began qrc for severe engine damage; driftdown; shutdown; etc. All engine indications were zero for right engine. All other airplane system normal. I decided to return to ZZZ; WX conditions VFR. Advised flight attendants about situation and called it a 'cabin advisory' no evacuate/evacuation preparation. Had plenty of time to complete all appropriate checklists and review southeast approach profile. Overweight landing was normal and smooth. Crash fire rescue equipment observed airplane for potential damage and then I taxied to gate. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: maintenance found that the pma had disintegrated removing all power from the electronic engine control and thus cutting off fuel to the engine.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CAPTAIN REPORTS ENGINE FAILURE DURING CLIMB AT FL280 AND SUBSEQUENT RETURN TO DEPARTURE AIRPORT.

Narrative: MY FLT WAS CLBING OUT TO FL290 WITH AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLE ON. AT FL280 THE R ENG FAILED WITH NO PRIOR INDICATIONS LEADING TO FAILURE. AUTOTHROTTLE DISENGAGED; I DISENGAGED AUTOPLT AND TRIMMED AIRPLANE. FO DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC AND WE BEGAN QRC FOR SEVERE ENG DAMAGE; DRIFTDOWN; SHUTDOWN; ETC. ALL ENG INDICATIONS WERE ZERO FOR R ENG. ALL OTHER AIRPLANE SYS NORMAL. I DECIDED TO RETURN TO ZZZ; WX CONDITIONS VFR. ADVISED FLT ATTENDANTS ABOUT SIT AND CALLED IT A 'CABIN ADVISORY' NO EVAC PREPARATION. HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO COMPLETE ALL APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS AND REVIEW SE APCH PROFILE. OVERWT LNDG WAS NORMAL AND SMOOTH. CFR OBSERVED AIRPLANE FOR POTENTIAL DAMAGE AND THEN I TAXIED TO GATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: MAINTENANCE FOUND THAT THE PMA HAD DISINTEGRATED REMOVING ALL POWER FROM THE ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROL AND THUS CUTTING OFF FUEL TO THE ENGINE.

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.