Date: 201912
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.ARTCC, US
Aircraft: A321
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class A ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Center ZZZ
Aircraft component: Turbine Engine
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Confusion; Distraction; Troubleshooting; Workload
Second reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Flying
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: Approximately 15 minutes after leveling off at FL320; two ECAM cautions came on. Engine 2 Sensor and Engine 2 FADEC B. ECAM procedures were completed. Shortly thereafter another ECAM; Auto Thrust came on. While dealing with that; Engine 2 Start Valve Open came on for a few seconds; then went away. Within a few seconds after that; Engine Surge came on and engine 2 began surging. I immediately requested descent to FL240 and the First Officer pulled the #2 thrust lever to idle; at which time the engine stabilized; so we elected to keep it running. At this point; we decided to divert to ZZZ; which was about 60nm behind us. The First Officer continued flying and operated the radios and set up for the approach while I dealt with remaining QRH procedures; contacting Dispatch; the flight attendants; and making the PA for passengers to notify them that we were diverting to Nashville due to a maintenance issue. We [requested priority handling] and ATC cleared us direct to ZZZ. We elected to land on Runway XX; since winds were calm and it was the longest runway. We were very close to the airport. In order to lose altitude we were given some extended vectors. ARFF (Airport Rescue Firefighting) was standing by for us. We executed the RNAV/GPS approach to Runway XX; leaving engine 2 at idle and using manual thrust; as the autothrust was also inoperative. Because I had more time in the aircraft than my First Officer; I elected to do the landing; so at approximately 15;000 ft. I took over pilot flying duties. The landing was overweight but uneventful. We taxied clear of the runway and stopped to give ARFF a chance to evaluate the status of the aircraft. They gave us the all clear and followed us to the gate. It's difficult to adequately describe the somewhat chaotic nature of events on the flight deck due to the intermittent and continuous ECAM indications that came and went during the entire event. The Start Valve Open indication repeated intermittently at least twice; possibly three times; and there were some other intermittent indications which came and went; all to do with Engine 2. Once the engine stabilized at idle; the ECAM abnormals cleared; except for the original two - Engine 2 Sensor and Engine 2 FADEC B. Once at the gate; and after ensuring that the passengers were taken care of; I talked to the local mechanic and wrote up the event in the logbook; to include the overweight landing as well as giving him the error messages that printed out after shutdown. Most likely; a failure of FADEC B which appears to have caused multiple engine malfunctions.


Second narrative: [Report narrative contained no additional information.]


Synopsis: A321 flight crew reported an engine malfunction during cruise that resulted in a diversion and overweight landing.