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A B747 crew, in cruise at FL370, experienced a flameout of their #4 engine when xfeeding procedures were not conducted properly.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 561511 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200209 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : sqs.vortac |
| State Reference | MS |
| Altitude | msl single value : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc tower : iag.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : second officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 83 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 561511 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
During xfeeding fuel operation, flamed out #4 engine. (Turned boost pumps off with xfeed closed.) waited until cruise to xfeed fuel, which can be done right after takeoff, while but elected it to be done at a less busy time. In this case, went to tank to engine after takeoff thus closing xfeeds #2 (with xfeeds #2 and #2 already closed from takeoff). At cruise, I started xfeed operation by opening #2 and #3 xfeeds and shutting down #1 and #4 boost pumps (forgetting to open #4 xfeed) shortly after engine #4 rolled back. We performed in-flight restart procedure, engine operated normally. My mistake came in that I used the same flow procedure for xfeeding after takeoff, in the cruise condition -- the only difference being the #4 fuel xfeed. Side note: ATC distraction and discussion about climbing to FL410 while I was xfeeding, put me in a spot as to not put my full attention into it. Also, this was our only aircraft that does not have the low pressure lights flash when sensing low pressure.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B747 CREW, IN CRUISE AT FL370, EXPERIENCED A FLAMEOUT OF THEIR #4 ENG WHEN XFEEDING PROCS WERE NOT CONDUCTED PROPERLY.
Narrative: DURING XFEEDING FUEL OP, FLAMED OUT #4 ENG. (TURNED BOOST PUMPS OFF WITH XFEED CLOSED.) WAITED UNTIL CRUISE TO XFEED FUEL, WHICH CAN BE DONE RIGHT AFTER TKOF, WHILE BUT ELECTED IT TO BE DONE AT A LESS BUSY TIME. IN THIS CASE, WENT TO TANK TO ENG AFTER TKOF THUS CLOSING XFEEDS #2 (WITH XFEEDS #2 AND #2 ALREADY CLOSED FROM TKOF). AT CRUISE, I STARTED XFEED OP BY OPENING #2 AND #3 XFEEDS AND SHUTTING DOWN #1 AND #4 BOOST PUMPS (FORGETTING TO OPEN #4 XFEED) SHORTLY AFTER ENG #4 ROLLED BACK. WE PERFORMED INFLT RESTART PROC, ENG OPERATED NORMALLY. MY MISTAKE CAME IN THAT I USED THE SAME FLOW PROC FOR XFEEDING AFTER TKOF, IN THE CRUISE CONDITION -- THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING THE #4 FUEL XFEED. SIDE NOTE: ATC DISTR AND DISCUSSION ABOUT CLBING TO FL410 WHILE I WAS XFEEDING, PUT ME IN A SPOT AS TO NOT PUT MY FULL ATTN INTO IT. ALSO, THIS WAS OUR ONLY ACFT THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE LOW PRESSURE LIGHTS FLASH WHEN SENSING LOW PRESSURE.
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.