An engine flamed out for no apparent reason. In-flight engine shutdown.

Attributes
ACN	268080
Time
Date	199404
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pgum
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 38000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : rjtg tower : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 16000
ASRS Report	268080
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cruising at fl 390 when #3 engine suddenly flamed out. The first officer was flying and I was navigating. I told the first officer to continue flying the aircraft while the so and I went through the engine failure procedure. I also instructed the first officer to contact tokyo control and advise them of our problem and our deviations (we were at this time beginning to descend and turn off track to a perpendicular heading). I advised other aircraft in the blind, by using 128.95, that we were descending and deviating off track. I also then set 7700 on the transponder. The so and I were able to restore engine power within a couple of mins and we then advised ATC that we could climb back to fl 390. What I probably didn't do or direct to be done, was to declare an emergency to ATC on the radio. This is something I'll emphasize more in my preflight briefings from now on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ENG FLAMED OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN.

Narrative: CRUISING AT FL 390 WHEN #3 ENG SUDDENLY FLAMED OUT. THE FO WAS FLYING AND I WAS NAVING. I TOLD THE FO TO CONTINUE FLYING THE ACFT WHILE THE SO AND I WENT THROUGH THE ENG FAILURE PROC. I ALSO INSTRUCTED THE FO TO CONTACT TOKYO CTL AND ADVISE THEM OF OUR PROB AND OUR DEVS (WE WERE AT THIS TIME BEGINNING TO DSND AND TURN OFF TRACK TO A PERPENDICULAR HDG). I ADVISED OTHER ACFT IN THE BLIND, BY USING 128.95, THAT WE WERE DSNDING AND DEVIATING OFF TRACK. I ALSO THEN SET 7700 ON THE XPONDER. THE SO AND I WERE ABLE TO RESTORE ENG PWR WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINS AND WE THEN ADVISED ATC THAT WE COULD CLB BACK TO FL 390. WHAT I PROBABLY DIDN'T DO OR DIRECT TO BE DONE, WAS TO DECLARE AN EMER TO ATC ON THE RADIO. THIS IS SOMETHING I'LL EMPHASIZE MORE IN MY PREFLT BRIEFINGS FROM NOW ON.

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.