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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Air carrier medium large transport engine flameout at cruise altitude during fuel crossfeed to balance fuel load. Captain restarted engine then diverted to nearest maintenance base.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 185184 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199108 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : vrb |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| 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 : 150 flight time total : 12600 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 185184 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 185338 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
I began fuel xfeed, in cruise at FL310, to equalize a 300 pound right wing tank heavy imbalance. Xfeed was in accordance with pilot's handbook procedures, ie, xfeed valve open, boost pumps on low quantity side off. Shortly thereafter, left engine lost thrust, including loss of left generator, and all other symptoms of a flameout. N1, N2, egt and fuel flow all approached and reached windmilling levels. A driftdown started, and a clearance to a lower altitude was obtained from ATC before losing 200 ft from FL310. I called for the engine failure/flameout checklist, which was accomplished, followed by the flight start checklist which resulted in a relight at FL290 plus. All engine parameters were then stabilized and normal. At this time I contacted company dispatch and maintenance, and diverted to the nearest maintenance base, mia. I believe this incident was caused by a failure somewhere in the engine driven fuel pump system.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR MLG ENG FLAMEOUT AT CRUISE ALT DURING FUEL CROSSFEED TO BALANCE FUEL LOAD. CAPT RESTARTED ENG THEN DIVERTED TO NEAREST MAINT BASE.
Narrative: I BEGAN FUEL XFEED, IN CRUISE AT FL310, TO EQUALIZE A 300 POUND R WING TANK HVY IMBALANCE. XFEED WAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH PLT'S HANDBOOK PROCS, IE, XFEED VALVE OPEN, BOOST PUMPS ON LOW QUANTITY SIDE OFF. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, L ENG LOST THRUST, INCLUDING LOSS OF L GENERATOR, AND ALL OTHER SYMPTOMS OF A FLAMEOUT. N1, N2, EGT AND FUEL FLOW ALL APCHED AND REACHED WINDMILLING LEVELS. A DRIFTDOWN STARTED, AND A CLRNC TO A LOWER ALT WAS OBTAINED FROM ATC BEFORE LOSING 200 FT FROM FL310. I CALLED FOR THE ENG FAILURE/FLAMEOUT CHKLIST, WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED, FOLLOWED BY THE FLT START CHKLIST WHICH RESULTED IN A RELIGHT AT FL290 PLUS. ALL ENG PARAMETERS WERE THEN STABILIZED AND NORMAL. AT THIS TIME I CONTACTED COMPANY DISPATCH AND MAINT, AND DIVERTED TO THE NEAREST MAINT BASE, MIA. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY A FAILURE SOMEWHERE IN THE ENG DRIVEN FUEL PUMP SYS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.