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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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B737 suffers flameout of right engine due to failed fuel xfeed valve.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 709539 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200609 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zzz.artcc |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 241 flight time total : 22579 flight time type : 10358 |
| ASRS Report | 709539 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
#2 engine flamed out at FL370. Emergency was declared to facilitate descent. Successful restart at FL220. Emergency terminated. Asked company operations via ACARS if they wanted us to continue to destination (ZZZ1) or divert to ZZZ; which was then only 75 NM ahead. They responded to divert to ZZZ. We did. Changed aircraft in ZZZ and continued to ZZZ1. At time of flameout; we had been level at FL370 approximately 1 min. I had been xfeeding fuel from the left tank to the right engine due to a 600 pound imbal for about 2 mins. After landing in ZZZ; we found the circuit breaker for the fuel xfeed valve open. This circuit breaker is located behind the first officer's seat back at the precise level of the shoulder harness inertial reel. It is a fairly common occurrence in the B737 to have circuit breakers in this area pulled out by the metal tips of the first officer's shoulder harnesses when he releases them after takeoff. There is also the likelihood that I failed to visually check the xfeed valve opening (dark blue light to light blue light) prior to turning off the #2 tank boost pumps. I have been xfeeding fuel for many yrs with never a problem; but humans do make errors. While this scenario is not necessarily a probability; it must be considered as a possibility. In closing; I would like to suggest some type of shield; approximately 12 inches wide and 6 inches tall; as required; be installed behind the first officer's inertial reel to prevent this type of problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737 SUFFERS FLAMEOUT OF R ENG DUE TO FAILED FUEL XFEED VALVE.
Narrative: #2 ENG FLAMED OUT AT FL370. EMER WAS DECLARED TO FACILITATE DSCNT. SUCCESSFUL RESTART AT FL220. EMER TERMINATED. ASKED COMPANY OPS VIA ACARS IF THEY WANTED US TO CONTINUE TO DEST (ZZZ1) OR DIVERT TO ZZZ; WHICH WAS THEN ONLY 75 NM AHEAD. THEY RESPONDED TO DIVERT TO ZZZ. WE DID. CHANGED ACFT IN ZZZ AND CONTINUED TO ZZZ1. AT TIME OF FLAMEOUT; WE HAD BEEN LEVEL AT FL370 APPROX 1 MIN. I HAD BEEN XFEEDING FUEL FROM THE L TANK TO THE R ENG DUE TO A 600 LB IMBAL FOR ABOUT 2 MINS. AFTER LNDG IN ZZZ; WE FOUND THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR THE FUEL XFEED VALVE OPEN. THIS CIRCUIT BREAKER IS LOCATED BEHIND THE FO'S SEAT BACK AT THE PRECISE LEVEL OF THE SHOULDER HARNESS INERTIAL REEL. IT IS A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THE B737 TO HAVE CIRCUIT BREAKERS IN THIS AREA PULLED OUT BY THE METAL TIPS OF THE FO'S SHOULDER HARNESSES WHEN HE RELEASES THEM AFTER TKOF. THERE IS ALSO THE LIKELIHOOD THAT I FAILED TO VISUALLY CHK THE XFEED VALVE OPENING (DARK BLUE LIGHT TO LIGHT BLUE LIGHT) PRIOR TO TURNING OFF THE #2 TANK BOOST PUMPS. I HAVE BEEN XFEEDING FUEL FOR MANY YRS WITH NEVER A PROB; BUT HUMANS DO MAKE ERRORS. WHILE THIS SCENARIO IS NOT NECESSARILY A PROBABILITY; IT MUST BE CONSIDERED AS A POSSIBILITY. IN CLOSING; I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST SOME TYPE OF SHIELD; APPROX 12 INCHES WIDE AND 6 INCHES TALL; AS REQUIRED; BE INSTALLED BEHIND THE FO'S INERTIAL REEL TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF PROB.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.