MD-82
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Training / Qualification
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
It was the Captain's leg and we were climbing out of FL260. There was a sudden; extremely loud bang; followed by vibration and a huge yaw. The left engine's EPR was indicating nothing; the N1 was indicating 20%; and the EGT was very high. The Captain disconnected the autopilot and we leveled off. I told Center we had just lost our left engine and were declaring an emergency. I mentioned to the Captain the left engine gear box had just been replaced recently and that might have something to do with it. All indications were that this was a sudden loss of the engine with severe damage; so we asked for a turn back to the departure airport. ATC gave us a 180 degree turn and discretion to a lower altitude. I started going through the engine failure severe damage checklist and it lead me to shutting the engine completely down and starting the APU. Everything indicated we would make a normal; single engine flaps 28 landing (we had left hydraulic pressure via the transfer pump; etc.) I did not attempt to contact Dispatch; because we were too low. So; I contacted Company Operations and told them we declared an emergency and were returning with a failed left engine. There would be no need to evacuate; etc. I also briefed the flight attendants and the passengers and let them know what happened and that we would make a normal landing back at the departure airport. I told the flight attendants there would be no need to evacuate. We landed about 1;800 LBS heavier than maximum landing weight; because we did not know the extent of the damage since the failure was so violent. I informed the Tower we would need the Fire Department to inspect the left engine when we taxied off the runway. The Captain landed very smoothly on the longest runway; 12R; and exited at L where we stopped and got the inspection from the Fire Department. Everything looked good to them; so we taxied to the gate and deplaned normally.
While climbing through FL260; an MD-82 engine failed with a loud bang and yaw so an emergency was declared; the QRH completed and the flight returned to the departure airport.