Narrative:

Observed oil quantity decreasing from 15 quarts to 4 (amber box). Awakened flight mechanic; resting relief pilot. In another min the quantity dropped to 2. With crew agreement; I requested and completed the precautionary in-flight shutdown checklist. We tried to advise our company that we had an emergency and might need to divert as recommended by our checklist. Our satcom was on MEL; the ACARS had no coverage; radio HF was OTS. I got another air carrier to relay for me using guard frequency 121.5. I initiated a drift-down procedure from 410 to a conservative FL350. During descent the oil quantity returned to normal. Over the next 30-40 mins we evaluated all our single-engine MEA's; diplomatic concerns of region; available maintenance support; crew security and airport option. At the time we were 3+05 to go on to ZZZZ1 with 148 KT tailwind or divert to ZZZZ2 at 1+35 with 95 KT headwind. Control was great! They allowed me emergency clrncs for altitude and new routing to ZZZZ1 and coordinated our diversion with ATC. About an hour after the shutdown the flight mechanic volunteered that this decreasing oil quantity problem had occurred before but had only dropped to 8. What a surprise! Now I had a different situation. Normal oil pressure normal N1; N2; oil quantity that had returned to 15 quarts at FL350. We agreed to try to restart. I had tried to at FL350 without success. During the descent; I could get nearly 300 KTS at FL180. A different set of conditions. We tried again got a normal restart. I cancelled the emergency handling with ATC. A normal 3 engine landing was completed at ZZZZ1. An MEL was opened on the #1 oil quantity and an engine wind-milling inspection. The engine inspection verified normal oil quantity and the problem was indeed an indication. My concern is that I secured a good engine on questionable advice and a lack of historical documentation of a previous malfunction.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11 SHUT AN ENG DOWN BASED ON A FAULTY OIL QUANTITY LOSS INDICATION. THE ENG WAS RESTARTED PRIOR TO LNDG AT A FOREIGN DIVERSION ARPT.

Narrative: OBSERVED OIL QUANTITY DECREASING FROM 15 QUARTS TO 4 (AMBER BOX). AWAKENED FLT MECH; RESTING RELIEF PLT. IN ANOTHER MIN THE QUANTITY DROPPED TO 2. WITH CREW AGREEMENT; I REQUESTED AND COMPLETED THE PRECAUTIONARY INFLT SHUTDOWN CHKLIST. WE TRIED TO ADVISE OUR COMPANY THAT WE HAD AN EMER AND MIGHT NEED TO DIVERT AS RECOMMENDED BY OUR CHKLIST. OUR SATCOM WAS ON MEL; THE ACARS HAD NO COVERAGE; RADIO HF WAS OTS. I GOT ANOTHER ACR TO RELAY FOR ME USING GUARD FREQ 121.5. I INITIATED A DRIFT-DOWN PROC FROM 410 TO A CONSERVATIVE FL350. DURING DSCNT THE OIL QUANTITY RETURNED TO NORMAL. OVER THE NEXT 30-40 MINS WE EVALUATED ALL OUR SINGLE-ENG MEA'S; DIPLOMATIC CONCERNS OF REGION; AVAILABLE MAINT SUPPORT; CREW SECURITY AND ARPT OPTION. AT THE TIME WE WERE 3+05 TO GO ON TO ZZZZ1 WITH 148 KT TAILWIND OR DIVERT TO ZZZZ2 AT 1+35 WITH 95 KT HEADWIND. CTL WAS GREAT! THEY ALLOWED ME EMER CLRNCS FOR ALT AND NEW ROUTING TO ZZZZ1 AND COORDINATED OUR DIVERSION WITH ATC. ABOUT AN HR AFTER THE SHUTDOWN THE FLT MECH VOLUNTEERED THAT THIS DECREASING OIL QUANTITY PROB HAD OCCURRED BEFORE BUT HAD ONLY DROPPED TO 8. WHAT A SURPRISE! NOW I HAD A DIFFERENT SITUATION. NORMAL OIL PRESSURE NORMAL N1; N2; OIL QUANTITY THAT HAD RETURNED TO 15 QUARTS AT FL350. WE AGREED TO TRY TO RESTART. I HAD TRIED TO AT FL350 WITHOUT SUCCESS. DURING THE DSCNT; I COULD GET NEARLY 300 KTS AT FL180. A DIFFERENT SET OF CONDITIONS. WE TRIED AGAIN GOT A NORMAL RESTART. I CANCELLED THE EMER HANDLING WITH ATC. A NORMAL 3 ENG LNDG WAS COMPLETED AT ZZZZ1. AN MEL WAS OPENED ON THE #1 OIL QUANTITY AND AN ENG WIND-MILLING INSPECTION. THE ENG INSPECTION VERIFIED NORMAL OIL QUANTITY AND THE PROB WAS INDEED AN INDICATION. MY CONCERN IS THAT I SECURED A GOOD ENG ON QUESTIONABLE ADVICE AND A LACK OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION OF A PREVIOUS MALFUNCTION.

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.