Flight Crew Commercial
Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Maintenance Action; General Declared Emergency
Procedure; Aircraft
During the climbout passing about 5;500-6;000 FT we noticed the left engine ITT indications were red and over 900 degrees. There were no other visual or audible warnings at this time. I don't even recall seeing the blinking 'HOT' icon. The Captain immediately decreased power but the ITT stayed hot. After several seconds of the left engine being at idle we felt a vibration (no VIB icon); heard grinding; then a pop. At this point the N1 and N2 decreased and the Oil Pressure; 'engine oil'; aural and visual master warnings quickly followed. We just lost and engine and severe damage was suspected. I began running the Immediate Action Items Checklist. I declared an emergency. We leveled off and descended to 5;000 FT and begin getting vectors to return. We shutdown the left engine as directed by the Immediate Action Items Checklist and I began the Single Engine Procedures Checklist. It was very difficult to complete the checklist due to the task saturated; high work load environment. We had to ask for multiple vectors in order to make time to complete necessary items. Captain called Flight Attendant and Flight Control to inform them of situation and emergency air return. The Single Engine Procedures Checklist directed me to turn on HYD 1B ON. I did and the system was fine for several minutes. As we were just about complete with checklists; landing assessment and other duties we received a HYD 1 LO PRESS caution message. The quantity is fine but the pressure was dropping and indications were yellow. I then ran the appropriate QRH procedure for that failure. It had me further increase landing distance and turn off HYD 1B. We were now ready to land. The Captain made a fine landing and we exited the runway and have the Fire Chiefs visually inspect our left engine for possible smoke or fire. We had the all clear and taxied to the gate.I believe the entire crew did an excellent job. The only difference between this event and the simulator is the number of seemingly continuous requests from ATC; Flight Attendant; Captain; etc. I couldn't get through 2 or 3 steps on the checklist with out a legitimate distraction stopping my progress. It is similar in the simulator but the constant chatter isn't there. ATC is very good and professional. They did a great job too. The only thing they are not good at is 'standing by' while we deal with a crisis. The threat was a hot ITT and the crew not noticing it but I'm not sure it would have made a difference. Whatever caused the ITT to go hot eventually caused that engine to blow regardless of throttle position. It wasn't a smooth flame out. It was quite rough with vibrations and other noises.
CRJ200 First Officer describes an engine failure during climbout and the failure of the HYD 1B pump during the return. The event is compared with simulator training with the conclusion that there are far more distractions during the real event.