Narrative:

According to preliminary maintenance findings; I heard the hot section of the turbine came apart. I cannot confirm this. En route at FL340 heard a loud boom; followed by loss of #1 engine. Declared an emergency and requested lower altitude. Requested direct ZZZ; being the nearest airport. We followed ECAM and QRH procedures. I briefed the passenger and ran through procedures with the flight attendants. Notified operations. Engine had restart parameters; so we elected to attempt a restart. Engine started ok until I brought the thrust lever out of idle; then identical loud boom and failure. We held over the airport reviewing engine out and go around procedures. After completing all checklists and reviewing ZZZ approach plates; we were given vectors for the longest runway; with the equipment standing by. A subsequent uneventful precautionary landing occurred. After exiting the runway; we stopped so the fire trucks could check out our #1 engine. After visual and verbal confirmation of no fire; from crash fire rescue equipment; we taxied to the gate. Supplemental information from acn 741363: the engine restart with no damage should have not been attempted knowing what we know now that the engine was broke hard. We had a visual inspection from the cabin crew and the ECAM suggested no damage; but the engine was broken beyond flight idle power settings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPTAIN REPORTS ENGINE FAILURE AT FL340 WITH ATTEMPTED RESTART THAT ALSO FAILS. AN EMERGENCY IS DECLARED WITH A DIVERT TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.

Narrative: ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY MAINT FINDINGS; I HEARD THE HOT SECTION OF THE TURBINE CAME APART. I CANNOT CONFIRM THIS. ENRTE AT FL340 HEARD A LOUD BOOM; FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF #1 ENG. DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED LOWER ALT. REQUESTED DIRECT ZZZ; BEING THE NEAREST ARPT. WE FOLLOWED ECAM AND QRH PROCS. I BRIEFED THE PAX AND RAN THROUGH PROCS WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS. NOTIFIED OPS. ENG HAD RESTART PARAMETERS; SO WE ELECTED TO ATTEMPT A RESTART. ENG STARTED OK UNTIL I BROUGHT THE THRUST LEVER OUT OF IDLE; THEN IDENTICAL LOUD BOOM AND FAILURE. WE HELD OVER THE ARPT REVIEWING ENG OUT AND GAR PROCS. AFTER COMPLETING ALL CHKLISTS AND REVIEWING ZZZ APCH PLATES; WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS FOR THE LONGEST RWY; WITH THE EQUIP STANDING BY. A SUBSEQUENT UNEVENTFUL PRECAUTIONARY LNDG OCCURRED. AFTER EXITING THE RWY; WE STOPPED SO THE FIRE TRUCKS COULD CHK OUT OUR #1 ENG. AFTER VISUAL AND VERBAL CONFIRMATION OF NO FIRE; FROM CFR; WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 741363: THE ENG RESTART WITH NO DAMAGE SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN ATTEMPTED KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW NOW THAT THE ENG WAS BROKE HARD. WE HAD A VISUAL INSPECTION FROM THE CABIN CREW AND THE ECAM SUGGESTED NO DAMAGE; BUT THE ENG WAS BROKEN BEYOND FLT IDLE PWR SETTINGS.

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.