B737-700
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 196; Flight Crew Type 196
Troubleshooting; Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
At 5;000 FT on a normal departure; a loud bang was heard from the aircraft. The Number 1 engine instruments immediately indicated an engine failure. At the time; the First Officer was flying the aircraft and did an excellent job continuing to fly the aircraft while I accomplished the checklist items. First; the boxed items for the Engine Fire/Severe Damage/Separation/Seizure Checklist was accomplished from memory because of the loud bang that occurred and the vibration that initially occurred. After the engine was shut down and while reviewing the checklist; I realized that we had an engine failure instead of the Engine Fire/Severe Damage/Separation/Seizure condition. I then accomplished the Engine Failure/Shutdown Checklist. Step 9 states to evaluate an engine restart attempt. We had good RPM on the Number 1 and Number 2 RPM gages; so we elected to attempt a crossbleed start. The In-flight Engine Start Checklist was then accomplished. The engine did not start after 30 seconds so the start was aborted and no further attempt was made to start the engine. At that point; the One Engine Inoperative Checklist was accomplished. The First Officer then transferred control of the aircraft to me and I accomplished the single engine landing.
Suddenly; approximately 12 miles from the airport; we heard a very loud bang and experienced a moderate roll to the left. After establishing firm control of the aircraft; as the pilot flying; I ask the Captain what he saw as the problem. We then received vectors for the ILS. It was not the longest runway but; with strong winds out of the north and very good landing margins; we felt secure in using it. The flight attendants were kept in the loop by the Captain during the whole event and did a very good job in reassuring the passengers that everything was going to be fine. Landing was an overweight; but the touchdown was extremely smooth with almost no sink at touchdown. Upon completion of a short landing roll; we called off the emergency personnel and taxied to the gate uneventfully.
A B737-700's left engine failed during climbout with a loud bang; so an emergency was declared; the Checklist completed and the flight returned to land overweight.