MD88 FLC RETURNS TO CVG AFTER HAVING SHUT DOWN L ENG WHILE IN CRUISE AT FL350. MAINT DETERMINED THAT BLUE ICE HAD CAUSED THE COMPRESSOR STALLS AND RESULTING ENG FAILURE.

Narrative

APPROX 50 MINS INTO THE FLT; FELT/HEARD LOUD THUMPS FROM THE L SIDE OF ACFT. FLT ATTENDANTS IMMEDIATELY CALLED COCKPIT. L ENG INSTS SPOOLED DOWN TO IDLE. I RETARDED L THROTTLE AND CALLED FOR EMER CHKLIST; DECLARED AN EMER AND ELECTED TO DIVERT TO CVG. ASKED SENIOR FLT ATTENDANT TO COME UP TO COCKPIT. DISCUSSED SIT AND EXPECTATIONS. I MADE A PA TO THE EFFECT THAT WE HAD SHUT DOWN AN ENG AND THAT THE ACFT'S STABILITY WAS EXCELLENT AND THAT THIS WAS A PROC WE PRACTICE IN THE SIMULATOR OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND THAT THE COCKPIT CREW FELT EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE WITH THE SIT. DUE TO 3:1 DSCNT PROFILE; THE DSCNT; APCH AND LNDG WERE FLOWN VERY METHODICALLY AND COMFORTABLY. I MADE A PA BEFORE LNDG TO EMPHASIZE TO THE PAX TO REMAIN IN THEIR SEATS AFTER LNDG (IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAD TO COME TO A FULL STOP ON RWY OR WHILE TAXIING IN) AND NOT TO EVAC THE ACFT UNLESS DIRECTED TO DO SO BY COCKPIT CREW OR FLT ATTENDANTS. TAXI IN WAS UNEVENTFUL. AFTER PARKING AT GATE; WE WERE GREETED BY MAINT. THEY POINTED OUT THE BLUE STREAKS DOWN THE L SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE AND THE DENTS IN 10 O'CLOCK POS ON L COWL. DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE BLUE ICE.