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Air carrier widebody transport aircraft engine failure at high altitude cruise causing flight crew to start descent for landing earlier than planned.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 231437 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199301 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pdx |
| State Reference | OR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 39000 msl bound upper : 39000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zse tracon : mob |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other landing other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 490 |
| ASRS Report | 231437 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer other personnel other |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 420 |
| ASRS Report | 231726 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
About 2 mins prior to descent from FL390 a level 2 alert 'engine N2 low' was observed on the ead (engine and alert display). At about the same time the autoplt disconnected with its attendant aural warning. After taking over manually a 'sel fadec altn' level 2 alert was observed on the ead. The engine instruments were checked and it was noted that engine 2 had shut down. The captain called for the 'N2 low' checklist and it was executed. After completing this checklist we then considered restarting the engine. Upon reading the first note in the checklist we elected to leave the engine shut down. The note reads, 'if engine failed or flamed out for an unknown reason, do not attempt restart unless engine is required for safety of flight.' we did not know why engine had shut down and it was not needed for safety of flight. We notified sea ATC that we had lost an engine and did not require assistance. No emergency was declared. A normal descent, approach and 35 degree flap landing was accomplished.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR WDB ACFT ENG FAILURE AT HIGH ALT CRUISE CAUSING FLC TO START DSCNT FOR LNDG EARLIER THAN PLANNED.
Narrative: ABOUT 2 MINS PRIOR TO DSCNT FROM FL390 A LEVEL 2 ALERT 'ENG N2 LOW' WAS OBSERVED ON THE EAD (ENG AND ALERT DISPLAY). AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED WITH ITS ATTENDANT AURAL WARNING. AFTER TAKING OVER MANUALLY A 'SEL FADEC ALTN' LEVEL 2 ALERT WAS OBSERVED ON THE EAD. THE ENG INSTRUMENTS WERE CHKED AND IT WAS NOTED THAT ENG 2 HAD SHUT DOWN. THE CAPT CALLED FOR THE 'N2 LOW' CHKLIST AND IT WAS EXECUTED. AFTER COMPLETING THIS CHKLIST WE THEN CONSIDERED RESTARTING THE ENG. UPON READING THE FIRST NOTE IN THE CHKLIST WE ELECTED TO LEAVE THE ENG SHUT DOWN. THE NOTE READS, 'IF ENG FAILED OR FLAMED OUT FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, DO NOT ATTEMPT RESTART UNLESS ENG IS REQUIRED FOR SAFETY OF FLT.' WE DID NOT KNOW WHY ENG HAD SHUT DOWN AND IT WAS NOT NEEDED FOR SAFETY OF FLT. WE NOTIFIED SEA ATC THAT WE HAD LOST AN ENG AND DID NOT REQUIRE ASSISTANCE. NO EMER WAS DECLARED. A NORMAL DSCNT, APCH AND 35 DEG FLAP LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
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.