Challenger 300
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 4500; Flight Crew Type 1500
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Aircraft
[We] experienced severe engine vibration from the left engine during initial climb shortly after departing in visual conditions. Loud banging and surging of the left engine along with aircraft vibration occurred at approximately 1200 ft AGL. At this same time Tower instructed us to contact Departure Control. I was the Second in Command as well as the non-flying pilot. I do not remember acknowledging that hand off. I immediately called Departure Control and [advised him of our condition]. I told him we lost the left engine after takeoff; and we would like to return to land back to [departure airport] (per our pre-departure briefing). He vectored us on a 180 heading. The initial alt is published at 3000 ft MSL. In the vector turn I noticed we were only at 1800 MSL. I asked him if this altitude was ok and he approved it.We received a L Eng Exceedance CAS message along with L Eng Flameout message. The memory item for this event calls for the affected engine [thrust lever] to be retarded. This action resulted in the vibration/surging to stop; and the engine relit automatically. It was never completely shut down from what I recall. Since the CAS messages extinguished; our condition was both engines producing power; but the power levers were near idle I believe. The Captain reported to ATC that the left engine was working again; as I was setting up the ILS and running all the required checklists. Our speed was relatively slow; maybe 200 knots or less. This was our intention so we could get our aircraft set and ready to land without any additional turns or vectors. I informed the Captain that the ILS approach was set in the Primary Flight Display. At this point we were on about a 5 mile left base leg to Runway XX and we were cleared for the approach. We configured the aircraft for landing [and] intercepted the localizer. We were then handed off to Tower; who cleared us to land. We then finished the before landing check list; and landed without further incident.
CL30 First Officer reported returning to departure airport after the left engine failed shortly after takeoff. During return to the airport the engine was successfully restarted.