Flight crew of an large transport air carrier aircraft declared an emergency when 1 engine had to be shut down. Extreme thunderstorm turbulent WX penetration caused the engine starter valve to open during approach vectors.

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Attributes
ACN	267243
Time
Date	199403
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl artcc : zmp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 6100
ASRS Report	267243
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Atl approach control vectored us away from atl toward a line of severe thunderstorms. They did not respond to our calls for vector to east, not northwest. Hail, turbulence, and rain caused an engine start valve to open requiring engine shutdown. Approach was advised we were minimum fuel with an engine shutdown. A supervisor came on the radio and vectored us to a landing to the west at atl. Airspeed varied plus or minus 50 KTS coming in and crosswind was 10 KTS over maximum recommended. 5 to 10 tornado's came out of those cumulo nimbus and killed over 40 people. ATC handling was poor until priority was given! There appeared to be a controller in training who was in over her head. The supervisor who brought us in after the engine was shut down was very professional.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT ACR ACFT DECLARED AN EMER WHEN 1 ENG HAD TO BE SHUT DOWN. EXTREME TSTM TURBULENT WX PENETRATION CAUSED THE ENG STARTER VALVE TO OPEN DURING APCH VECTORS.

Narrative: ATL APCH CTL VECTORED US AWAY FROM ATL TOWARD A LINE OF SEVERE TSTMS. THEY DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR CALLS FOR VECTOR TO E, NOT NW. HAIL, TURB, AND RAIN CAUSED AN ENG START VALVE TO OPEN REQUIRING ENG SHUTDOWN. APCH WAS ADVISED WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL WITH AN ENG SHUTDOWN. A SUPVR CAME ON THE RADIO AND VECTORED US TO A LNDG TO THE W AT ATL. AIRSPD VARIED PLUS OR MINUS 50 KTS COMING IN AND XWIND WAS 10 KTS OVER MAX RECOMMENDED. 5 TO 10 TORNADO'S CAME OUT OF THOSE CUMULO NIMBUS AND KILLED OVER 40 PEOPLE. ATC HANDLING WAS POOR UNTIL PRIORITY WAS GIVEN! THERE APPEARED TO BE A CTLR IN TRAINING WHO WAS IN OVER HER HEAD. THE SUPVR WHO BROUGHT US IN AFTER THE ENG WAS SHUT DOWN WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL.

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.