Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff. We did a reduced thrust takeoff (88.6% N1 at 48 degree assumed temperature). Passing 500 ft afe; we heard a loud bang followed by loss of thrust on the left engine. After I assured the airplane was under control and in balanced flight; I glanced at the engine instruments to see if it was running or if it could be restarted. N1 was rolling back through 23%; N2 was zero; and egt was 170 decreasing. I intercepted the V1 cut profile at 800 ft; commanded speed 210 KTS and got the airplane cleaned up. Meanwhile; the captain had informed tower of our problem; declared an emergency and gotten vectors back to the field. At speed 210 KTS; we finished the after takeoff checklist and ran the engine fire; severe damage; separation checklist through reference actions. Meanwhile I turned downwind; leveled off at 3000 ft; and was cleared for the visual approach. The captain set my navigation radio for the approach; we turned in abeam the FAF and I descended to 2000 ft. I flew a normal engine out; 15 degree flap visual approach backed up with the ILS at 142 KTS target speed. Touchdown and rollout were normal. We exited at taxiway F and stopped the aircraft so the fire trucks could look us over for damage or fire. (No fire lights were ever illuminated.) we taxied back to the gate and shut the other engine down normally.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW REPORTS ENGINE FAILURE AT 500 FEET DURING INITIAL CLIMB. FLT CREW RETURNS FOR UNEVENTFUL LANDING.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. WE DID A REDUCED THRUST TKOF (88.6% N1 AT 48 DEG ASSUMED TEMP). PASSING 500 FT AFE; WE HEARD A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF THRUST ON THE L ENG. AFTER I ASSURED THE AIRPLANE WAS UNDER CTL AND IN BALANCED FLT; I GLANCED AT THE ENG INSTS TO SEE IF IT WAS RUNNING OR IF IT COULD BE RESTARTED. N1 WAS ROLLING BACK THROUGH 23%; N2 WAS ZERO; AND EGT WAS 170 DECREASING. I INTERCEPTED THE V1 CUT PROFILE AT 800 FT; COMMANDED SPD 210 KTS AND GOT THE AIRPLANE CLEANED UP. MEANWHILE; THE CAPT HAD INFORMED TWR OF OUR PROB; DECLARED AN EMER AND GOTTEN VECTORS BACK TO THE FIELD. AT SPD 210 KTS; WE FINISHED THE AFTER TKOF CHKLIST AND RAN THE ENG FIRE; SEVERE DAMAGE; SEPARATION CHKLIST THROUGH REF ACTIONS. MEANWHILE I TURNED DOWNWIND; LEVELED OFF AT 3000 FT; AND WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. THE CAPT SET MY NAV RADIO FOR THE APCH; WE TURNED IN ABEAM THE FAF AND I DSNDED TO 2000 FT. I FLEW A NORMAL ENG OUT; 15 DEG FLAP VISUAL APCH BACKED UP WITH THE ILS AT 142 KTS TARGET SPD. TOUCHDOWN AND ROLLOUT WERE NORMAL. WE EXITED AT TXWY F AND STOPPED THE ACFT SO THE FIRE TRUCKS COULD LOOK US OVER FOR DAMAGE OR FIRE. (NO FIRE LIGHTS WERE EVER ILLUMINATED.) WE TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE AND SHUT THE OTHER ENG DOWN NORMALLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.