Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
On initial climb out through 700 FT AGL as the Captain called for autopilot on; two loud bangs were heard and felt; followed by a continuous vibration that rattled the airplane. The aircraft yawed and rolled slightly as well. A quick initial scan of the instruments revealed a 'VIB' message in the left engine N2 section and an ITT over redline; approximately 950 degrees; but the engine continued to produce thrust. These indications were followed shortly by an L COWL A/ICE caution message. Reducing thrust on the left engine caused the vibrations to cease and the messages to extinguish. We declared an emergency and announced our intentions to return to the field. As we had the field in sight; were within a few miles of the field and weather conditions were deteriorating rapidly as a Tropical Storm approached; the Captain decided to immediately began preparations to return to the field. After running the checklists and notifying the flight attendant; we made a normal landing at the departure airport several minutes after departing; though we were approximately 200 LBS overweight. The emergency personnel that met our airplane determined our left engine was secure; so we continued with a normal taxi to the gate and deplaned normally.We executed a normal takeoff that didn't give us any abnormal indications until we heard and felt the bangs. I don't believe any external factors like a bird strike or windshear caused or contributed to the compressor stall. We declared an emergency with ATC and quickly discussed our options. We determined a return to the departure airport would be our best option. ATC gave us a turn back toward the field and we had the airport in sight. It was clear that the weather was deteriorating; any further delay or vectors would have had us flying for a much longer period of time and we would have had to shoot an instrument approach. In the interest of safety; the Captain decided to take the visual approach while we had the airport in sight. This meant we had very little time to run our descent and before landing checklists; which we accomplished successfully. We ran the QRH for N2 core vibration upon landing.
We were departing in marginal weather conditions. It was my leg (Captain) and I was at the controls. All indications were normal when thrust was set. At approximately 600 FT AGL; the autopilot was turned on. We immediately experienced a compressor stall on the number 1 engine; followed by a subsequent yaw. The ITT reached approximately 950 degrees C and we started feeling a vibration in the airframe and an associated N2 core vibration indication. I immediately retarded the power on the number one engine to get the ITT out of the RED range. As soon as the situation was under control we declared an emergency with Departure Control. We quickly leveled off at 3;000 FT MSL and upon reduction of power the N2 core vibration indications extinguished and the airframe vibration subsided. I decided that in the interest of passenger safety the best course of action would be to return to the field and land visually; the field was still in sight. We did not brace or prepare the cabin for evacuation. I flew the aircraft and the First Officer accomplished the After Takeoff Checks; the Descent Checks and by this time we were lining up with the runway. We configured for landing; did the Before Landing Checks; and when I added power for landing at flaps 45 the vibration returned. We landed without further incident; exited the runway; shut down our number 1 engine and had the emergency crews check the engine to make sure it was safe before taxiing in. Since the vibration and ITT stayed in the normal range at low power settings I chose to land the aircraft as soon as possible rather than shutting the engine down. I believed it was the best solution in the interest of passenger safety.
CRJ200 flight crew experiences compressor stalls; vibration; and high ITT shortly after takeoff. With the thrust reduced the symptoms disappear and the Captain elects to return visually to the departure airport with the engine operating at low thrust.