Air carrier flight crew reported #1 engine compressor stalled during initial departure climb. Air crew requested and was provided priority handling to the departure airport where a safe overweight landing completed.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported #1 engine compressor stalled during initial departure climb. Air crew requested and was provided priority handling to the departure airport where a safe overweight landing completed.
Narrative
On departure from ZZZ we leveled of at 10;000 ft. awaiting a higher altitude. Soon after the level off we heard a loud bang that sounded similar to bird strike or something large being dropped in the galley. At about the same time ATC cleared us to a higher altitude. I set the altitude in the Mode Control Panel and the First Officer (FO) pulled for open climb; as soon as the power started to increase we heard and felt a rapid bang. We both realized it was a compressor stall and quickly received an ECAM warning. I immediately set 10;000 ft. back in the MCP and the FO decreased power and leveled back at 10;000 feet. As soon as the FO decreased power the compressor stall ceased; and the ECAM vanished. I [requested priority] with ATC; and then handed the radios over to the FO. I ran the applicable checklist; completed the brief with the Flight Attendants (F/As); notified Dispatch; and made a PA to the passengers. First Officer had done an excellent job flying the aircraft and communicating with ATC while I doing the above. We requested landing data at ZZZ briefed up the plan and returned uneventfully to ZZZ.
Second reporter narrative
Climbing through 11;000 ft. MSL; auto thrust engaged and autopilot off; heard a loud noise from left side of airplane and felt plane shake; no ECAMs. Then all seemed normal again for about 30 seconds and Captain (CA) spoke with Flight Attendant (FA) on interphone. Next a series of several seeming louder bangs; coming from left; plane shaking again; and ECAM alert message. Pilot Flying (PF) reduced thrust to idle on engine #1; ECAM alert was no longer displayed; engine#1 indications normal while at idle thrust. Increased thrust on engine#2 and applied right rudder. CA and First Officer (FO) discussed and agreed that return to ZZZ best/safest action. Pilot Monitoring (PM) [requested priority] to ATC and informed of return to ZZZ. PF hand-flew descent to 10;000 ft. MSL on ATC heading and then engaged autopilot #2. PM spoke with FA; made PA to passengers; and ACARS with Dispatch to inform and get ZZZ landing data. CA encouraged jumpseater to say any observations/concerns. We reprogrammed the FMGC; briefed ILS approach to XXR (longest runway); and did descent checklist. PF followed ATC vectors to final; configured normally and did landing checklist; kept autopilot engaged to 500 ft. AGL. Routine (overweight) landing and had ZZZ fire crew inspect airplane exterior before heading to gate then taxied in with both engines operating. Engine#1 did shutdown normally. Realized after the fact that we had forgotten to do the overweight landing checklist. Overall seemed that our CRM-teamwork-communication was excellent during the event. Only 22 minutes elapsed from take-off to touchdown.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.