AN ACR MD80 FLC HAS SMOKE IN THE ACFT AND VIBRATION FROM THE L ENG DURING CLBOUT. THEY DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED WITH NO EVAC NECESSARY.

Narrative

CLBING THROUGH 23000 FT ACFT STARTED SHAKING ACCOMPANIED WITH A LOUD VIBRATION TYPE NOISE AND INSTANT COPIOUS SMOKE. DECLARED AN EMER AND ASKED FOR VECTORS. DECLARED REASON WAS DUE TO SMOKE IN CABIN AND COCKPIT. ATC INITIALLY ASSIGNED FL220. WE DID NOT MAINTAIN THIS; AND DID NOT INFORM ATC DUE TO WORKLOAD. NOTICED AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION ACFT PASS; PROBABLY WITHIN A COUPLE OF MI AND 1000 FT. DIVERTED TO ONTARIO UNEVENTFULLY; AND SMOKE CLRED RAPIDLY ON DSCNT; NO EVAC REQUIRED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS THE FO OF AN MD80 THAT HAD A TURBINE BEARING FAILURE IN THE L ENG DURING CLBOUT. HE SAID THAT SMOKE ENTERED THE ACFT THROUGH THE AIR-CONDITIONING AND PRESSURIZATION SYS. ALSO THE ENG STARTED TO VIBRATE AT CLB PWR. THE FLC DECLARED AN EMER AND LEVELED AT FL230. THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR GAVE THEM A VECTOR TOWARD ONT AND ASSIGNED FL220. AS THE FLC RETARDED THE THRUST LEVERS TOWARD IDLE THE VIBRATION CEASED AND THE SMOKE DECREASED. HOWEVER; AS THEY CONTINUED THEIR CHKLISTS THE FLC DSNDED BELOW FL220 TO 'ABOUT FL210' WHERE THEY SAW ANOTHER ACFT PASS THEM AT APPARENTLY; FL200. AFTER THE OTHER ACFT PASSED; THE FLC WAS CLRED DOWN TO APCH ALT AT ONT. THEY DECIDED TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE L ENG FOR THE APCH AS IT NOW APPEARED NORMAL; ACCORDING TO THE RPTR. THEY ALSO DECIDED TO NOT EVAC AS ALL THE SMOKE HAD CLRED. THEY TAXIED DIRECTLY TO THE GATE; WITH CFR VEHICLES ACCOMPANYING. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN; THE MECHS EXAMINED THE L ENG AND DISCOVERED THAT THE N1 TURBINE BEARING HAD FAILED. THIS REQUIRED THE ENG TO BE REMOVED FOR REPAIR. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DISTRESS AMONG THE PAX ACCORDING TO THE RPTR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 370452 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CAPT STATES THAT THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROB WAS CHATTERING IN THE THROTTLE QUADRANT FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY HEAVY SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. THE FLT CREW THEN HEARD A GRINDING AS THE #1 ENG STARTED COMING APART DUE TO AN N1 FAN BLADE FAILING AND GOING THROUGH THE ENG. AS THE BLADE WENT THROUGH; IT CAUSED A FORWARD BEARING FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE HEAVY SMOKE IN THE ACFT CABIN. RPTR SAYS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN UNUSUALLY NUMEROUS MD80 ENG FAILURES IN RECENT MONTHS AND IN SOME CASES VERY SIMILAR TYPE FAILURES -- FAN BLADES. RPTR CAPT WAS PLEASED THAT AFTER THEY LANDED AND CHANGED ACFT; ALL THE PAX CONTINUED WITH THEM.