Air carrier widebody transport in-flight engine shutdown.

Attributes
ACN	102847
Time
Date	198901
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zoa
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10700 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	102847
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Shortly after setting cruise thrust at FL370, fuel xfeed from tanks #2 and 3 was initiated. At that time attention was drawn to the #3 aft fuel boost pump, which had been blinking erratically since early in the climb out. Almost immediately both #4 fuel flow indicators began spiking full scale, and the #4 engine began spooling down. In-flight ignition was immediately selected, and fuel pressure assured with all fuel boost pumps on. During re-ignition the #4 egt began a rapid rise, and so the start level was placed to shut off. The engine fuel valve was confirmed closed and a clean shutdown observed the engine failure checklist was then read and a review of the handbook was made. After turning back towards sfo and leveling at FL290 the in-flight start checklist was accomplished successfully. Fuel heat was then applied to assist in dissipating possible fuel contamination. Sfo station maintenance examined the fuel tank sumps and notified us that about a cup of water had been discovered remaining in the #3 fuel tank sump. The maintenance reliability report attributed the cause to suspected water contamination of fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB INFLT ENGINE SHUTDOWN.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER SETTING CRUISE THRUST AT FL370, FUEL XFEED FROM TANKS #2 AND 3 WAS INITIATED. AT THAT TIME ATTN WAS DRAWN TO THE #3 AFT FUEL BOOST PUMP, WHICH HAD BEEN BLINKING ERRATICALLY SINCE EARLY IN THE CLBOUT. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BOTH #4 FUEL FLOW INDICATORS BEGAN SPIKING FULL SCALE, AND THE #4 ENG BEGAN SPOOLING DOWN. INFLT IGNITION WAS IMMEDIATELY SELECTED, AND FUEL PRESSURE ASSURED WITH ALL FUEL BOOST PUMPS ON. DURING RE-IGNITION THE #4 EGT BEGAN A RAPID RISE, AND SO THE START LEVEL WAS PLACED TO SHUT OFF. THE ENG FUEL VALVE WAS CONFIRMED CLOSED AND A CLEAN SHUTDOWN OBSERVED THE ENG FAILURE CHKLIST WAS THEN READ AND A REVIEW OF THE HANDBOOK WAS MADE. AFTER TURNING BACK TOWARDS SFO AND LEVELING AT FL290 THE INFLT START CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED SUCCESSFULLY. FUEL HEAT WAS THEN APPLIED TO ASSIST IN DISSIPATING POSSIBLE FUEL CONTAMINATION. SFO STATION MAINT EXAMINED THE FUEL TANK SUMPS AND NOTIFIED US THAT ABOUT A CUP OF WATER HAD BEEN DISCOVERED REMAINING IN THE #3 FUEL TANK SUMP. THE MAINT RELIABILITY RPT ATTRIBUTED THE CAUSE TO SUSPECTED WATER CONTAMINATION OF FUEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.