Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
After takeoff on climb out started getting a #3 engine vibration. Watched engine indications up to cruise vibration worsened. We received an Engine Vibration Monitoring (EVM) amber boxed indication on the # 3 engine it stabilized around 4.2. Complied with QRH checklist contacted maintaince control and decided to return. Engine indications on #3 were lower N1 and Higher N2 along with 60-70 degrees higher EGT.
Climbing out after takeoff; I noticed that the N1 on #3 Engine was lower than #1 & #2. As I attempted to advance throttle; I noticed that N2 was already up to the limit at 110%. We continued to monitor the #3 N1 and N2 until cruise. The First Officer (FO); as the Pilot Flying (PF) also noted a a very slight vibration during climbout that disapated during level off. After level we observed the #3 EVM COMP with an amber box indicating 4.0-4.6; with a peak at 5.1. We also observed; at cruise power that #3 N1 was slightly lower than #1 and #2; EGT was 70 degrees higher than #1 and #2; N2 was 5-8% higher than #1 and #2 and Fuel Flow (FF) was was 1;000-2;000 lbs. higher than #1 and #2. After consulting the QRH and Maintenance Control; we opted to return. We briefed precautionarly shutdown if we observed the indications worsening. We auto landed and shutdown #3 engine during taxi to our gate. After block in; maintenance informed us that the compressor section was trashed; will definitely be an engine change.
MD-11 Captain notes N1; N2; EGT and vibration anomalies on engine number three during climb out. Fuel flow was also higher and after consulting with maintenance Control; the crew elects to return to the departure airport.