Narrative:

While climbing out of iah, #3 engine fuel flow and EPR began to fluctuate with a vibration in the air frame. We retarded the throttle. About that time, #1 engine did the same thing. We declared an emergency and returned to iah. Aircraft had a previous write-up of a bird strike, but had flown since maintenance signed off the log. From a human factors standpoint, 2 capts were flying plus a very experienced so (retired air force). Both capts (1 a check airman in the right seat) deferred to each other, assessed the situation with the so's input and all agreed how to resolve the problem. We dumped fuel not only to get down to landing weight, but also T be light enough in case we lost them both. The flight attendants were briefed twice before landing and we made an announcement to the passenger. It was refreshing to see cockpit resource management work in an emergency situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT IN CLB HAS ENG FUEL FLOW AND EPR FLUCTUATE IN #3 ENG, THEN #1 ENG.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF IAH, #3 ENG FUEL FLOW AND EPR BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE WITH A VIBRATION IN THE AIR FRAME. WE RETARDED THE THROTTLE. ABOUT THAT TIME, #1 ENG DID THE SAME THING. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO IAH. ACFT HAD A PREVIOUS WRITE-UP OF A BIRD STRIKE, BUT HAD FLOWN SINCE MAINT SIGNED OFF THE LOG. FROM A HUMAN FACTORS STANDPOINT, 2 CAPTS WERE FLYING PLUS A VERY EXPERIENCED SO (RETIRED AIR FORCE). BOTH CAPTS (1 A CHK AIRMAN IN THE R SEAT) DEFERRED TO EACH OTHER, ASSESSED THE SIT WITH THE SO'S INPUT AND ALL AGREED HOW TO RESOLVE THE PROB. WE DUMPED FUEL NOT ONLY TO GET DOWN TO LNDG WT, BUT ALSO T BE LIGHT ENOUGH IN CASE WE LOST THEM BOTH. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE BRIEFED TWICE BEFORE LNDG AND WE MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX. IT WAS REFRESHING TO SEE COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT WORK IN AN EMER SIT.

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.