Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Commercial
Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft; Weather
Climbing through 2;000 feet; right engine began banging with associated oscillations of engine instruments. Flight leveled at 3;000 feet. Throttle was brought to idle and banging stopped. Vector back to our departure airport requested. Right engine was idling at 10% N1; 10% N2. Right engine was then shut down IAW QRH. First Officer flew while Captain ran checklist and communicated with Flight attendants. Air and Rescue Fire Fighters (ARFF) requested. Icing was encountered during descent. Flight landed uneventfully 19 minutes after takeoff. ARFF reported bullet cone of right engine was detached and lying at the bottom of cowling.
The regular bangs seemed like 'compressor stalls' as we leveled. At this point we both were extremely busy. I was flying the aircraft with the right engine at idle; at night; in icing conditions; and talking with ATC to give them the fuel and souls on board. Interestingly; I remember them asking for the fuel quantity in pounds!!!! Although we were extremely busy inflight trying to accomplish checklists; we were able to do so in a timely manner and turned final at 10 miles from the airport. Time compression at the time made it seem like the flight lasted longer than it actually did. The Captain did an outstanding job of running multiple checklists making PA's to keep passengers informed and keeping Flight Attendants in the loop as to our intentions. Plus he kept an eye on me to be sure we were doing the right things at the right times.
When the right engine started making continuous loud banging sounds similar to compressor stalls shortly after takeoff; a flight crew advised ATC; performed an inflight shut down of the engine and returned to their departure airport.