Narrative:

#1 engine flamed out at FL370 for no reason apparent to the crew (because of light turbulence at the time, engine ignition was 'on'). Hnl radio was immediately notified on HF radio of our problem and request for immediate lower altitude. We were instructed to switch to another frequency. This was followed by receipt of a third frequency to call. At that point, due to decaying airspeed, I had no choice but to declare an emergency and notified ATC we left FL370 for FL310. As expected, we received their immediate attention. My initial action was to turn 90 degrees right of our northerly track and in descent we successfully restarted #1 engine at FL340. At that point, we were reclred and continued the flight to tokyo. Factors contributing to this emergency include: 1) flight beyond radar coverage; 2) use of HF radio communications which far too often lack clarity or are not readable--during this flight 4 tropical depressions/storms in the western pacific did not help matters; 3) the necessity to call 3 different frequencys to obtain descent clearance; 4) we were approaching handoff from hnl to tokyo radio; 5) we were flight planned east of the arwy (B586) due to WX. Until the antiquated radio communications in use today are updated and/or radar/satellite coverage provided for international operations, we must expect situations such as mine to occur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB 4 ENGINE ACFT ON OVER-WATER PACIFIC FLT LOST #1 ENGINE AT FL370. TURNED OFF COURSE, DESCENDED, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. ATC AMENDED CLRNC.

Narrative: #1 ENG FLAMED OUT AT FL370 FOR NO REASON APPARENT TO THE CREW (BECAUSE OF LIGHT TURB AT THE TIME, ENG IGNITION WAS 'ON'). HNL RADIO WAS IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED ON HF RADIO OF OUR PROB AND REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE LOWER ALT. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO SWITCH TO ANOTHER FREQ. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY RECEIPT OF A THIRD FREQ TO CALL. AT THAT POINT, DUE TO DECAYING AIRSPD, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO DECLARE AN EMER AND NOTIFIED ATC WE LEFT FL370 FOR FL310. AS EXPECTED, WE RECEIVED THEIR IMMEDIATE ATTN. MY INITIAL ACTION WAS TO TURN 90 DEGS RIGHT OF OUR NORTHERLY TRACK AND IN DSCNT WE SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTED #1 ENG AT FL340. AT THAT POINT, WE WERE RECLRED AND CONTINUED THE FLT TO TOKYO. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS EMER INCLUDE: 1) FLT BEYOND RADAR COVERAGE; 2) USE OF HF RADIO COMS WHICH FAR TOO OFTEN LACK CLARITY OR ARE NOT READABLE--DURING THIS FLT 4 TROPICAL DEPRESSIONS/STORMS IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC DID NOT HELP MATTERS; 3) THE NECESSITY TO CALL 3 DIFFERENT FREQS TO OBTAIN DSCNT CLRNC; 4) WE WERE APCHING HDOF FROM HNL TO TOKYO RADIO; 5) WE WERE FLT PLANNED E OF THE ARWY (B586) DUE TO WX. UNTIL THE ANTIQUATED RADIO COMS IN USE TODAY ARE UPDATED AND/OR RADAR/SATELLITE COVERAGE PROVIDED FOR INTL OPS, WE MUST EXPECT SITUATIONS SUCH AS MINE TO OCCUR.

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.