An engine went to flight idle. After restart, returned to departure airport.

Attributes
ACN	102872
Time
Date	198901
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 155 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 958
ASRS Report	102872
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Shortly after level off at FL370 #4 engine flamed out after starting xfeed. As engine appeared to be spinning down I pushed flight start and the observed wildly fluctuating fuel flow and rapidly rising egt. We shut off engine and requested lower altitude from ZLC. Four xmissions were made before ZLC understood our request which was then promptly issued. After completion of the engine failure checklist and leveling at FL290 I elected to try an in-flight restart which was accomplished successfully. We returned to sfo, landing west/O incident. Maintenance found a small amount of water in #3 engine sump. Since then I have received unofficial word that #4 xfeed was found to be functioning improperly and has been replaced. In retrospect what first appeared to be a flame out was instead a low idle and could have been better assessed by first descending to a 3 engine capable flight altitude before attempting corrective action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ENGINE WENT TO FLT IDLE. AFTER RESTART, RETURNED TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER LEVEL OFF AT FL370 #4 ENG FLAMED OUT AFTER STARTING XFEED. AS ENG APPEARED TO BE SPINNING DOWN I PUSHED FLT START AND THE OBSERVED WILDLY FLUCTUATING FUEL FLOW AND RAPIDLY RISING EGT. WE SHUT OFF ENG AND REQUESTED LOWER ALT FROM ZLC. FOUR XMISSIONS WERE MADE BEFORE ZLC UNDERSTOOD OUR REQUEST WHICH WAS THEN PROMPTLY ISSUED. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE ENG FAILURE CHKLIST AND LEVELING AT FL290 I ELECTED TO TRY AN INFLT RESTART WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED SUCCESSFULLY. WE RETURNED TO SFO, LNDG W/O INCIDENT. MAINT FOUND A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER IN #3 ENG SUMP. SINCE THEN I HAVE RECEIVED UNOFFICIAL WORD THAT #4 XFEED WAS FOUND TO BE FUNCTIONING IMPROPERLY AND HAS BEEN REPLACED. IN RETROSPECT WHAT FIRST APPEARED TO BE A FLAME OUT WAS INSTEAD A LOW IDLE AND COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER ASSESSED BY FIRST DSNDING TO A 3 ENG CAPABLE FLT ALT BEFORE ATTEMPTING CORRECTIVE ACTION.

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.