A320 flight crew experiences an engine stall at FL360 and diverts after the engine cannot be made to...

Attributes
ACN	734532
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
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 : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	734532
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	734533
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Captain PF in cruise FL360; .78 mach with autoplt on. Engine #2 stall ECAM. Captain xferred PF and radios to first officer while pulling throttle #2 to idle. As per flight manual procedures; recovered engine #2 -- though ff was a 2800 pounds (400 pounds higher than left side) and egt was 450 degrees C (100 degrees C higher than left side). A discussion with maintenance and dispatch was initiated to determine if the criteria for degraded engine existed. While discussing with maintenance and dispatcher; and starting a descent towards ZZZ1; engine #2 stall ECAM recurred. At this point the flight was over ZZZ and the decision was made to declare an emergency and divert to ZZZ. The crew treated the approach like a single engine approach though engine #2 was kept running at idle. Engine #2 while at idle did not show any further irregularities. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that what actually initiated the engine failure is unknown; however on post flight it was discovered that many compressor blades had been damaged or destroyed. Reporter noted that recent training made this emergency almost a non event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW EXPERIENCES AN ENGINE STALL AT FL360 AND DIVERTS AFTER THE ENGINE CANNOT BE MADE TO OPERATE ABOVE IDLE.

Narrative: CAPT PF IN CRUISE FL360; .78 MACH WITH AUTOPLT ON. ENG #2 STALL ECAM. CAPT XFERRED PF AND RADIOS TO FO WHILE PULLING THROTTLE #2 TO IDLE. AS PER FLT MANUAL PROCS; RECOVERED ENG #2 -- THOUGH FF WAS A 2800 LBS (400 LBS HIGHER THAN L SIDE) AND EGT WAS 450 DEGS C (100 DEGS C HIGHER THAN L SIDE). A DISCUSSION WITH MAINT AND DISPATCH WAS INITIATED TO DETERMINE IF THE CRITERIA FOR DEGRADED ENG EXISTED. WHILE DISCUSSING WITH MAINT AND DISPATCHER; AND STARTING A DSCNT TOWARDS ZZZ1; ENG #2 STALL ECAM RECURRED. AT THIS POINT THE FLT WAS OVER ZZZ AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DECLARE AN EMER AND DIVERT TO ZZZ. THE CREW TREATED THE APCH LIKE A SINGLE ENG APCH THOUGH ENG #2 WAS KEPT RUNNING AT IDLE. ENG #2 WHILE AT IDLE DID NOT SHOW ANY FURTHER IRREGULARITIES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT WHAT ACTUALLY INITIATED THE ENGINE FAILURE IS UNKNOWN; HOWEVER ON POST FLIGHT IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MANY COMPRESSOR BLADES HAD BEEN DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. RPTR NOTED THAT RECENT TRAINING MADE THIS EMERGENCY ALMOST A NON EVENT.

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.

A320 flight crew experiences an engine stall at FL360 and diverts after the engine cannot be made to operate above idle.