Narrative:

While cruising at FL370; I had a fuel imbal between the main tanks. Originally the #2 engine was heavier than the #1 by 300 pounds. I got caught up telling a story and the next thing I knew was that the #1 main was now 500 pounds heavier than the #2 main. I didn't pay attention to my valves in changing the xfeed. I must have turned off the xfeed valve when I turned off the #2 main tank pumps. Within about 10 seconds; the #2 engine flamed out. We broke out the QRH; advised ATC of our need to get an emergency descent; and attempted to restart the engine multiple times. We finally had to start the APU and use APU-assisted procedures to get the engine started when passing FL260. I continued to descend to FL240; our assigned altitude. I sent dispatch a message advising them of what happened. I checked my position -- I was 175 mi east of ZZZ1 and 225 mi south of ZZZ. In my opinion; ZZZ (my original destination) still qualified as the nearest suitable airport because to me the difference in distance was not that significant. I sent dispatch a message saying that it was my intent to continue to ZZZ unless told otherwise. They concurred. Landing at ZZZ was uneventful. Pay attention to switch position! My inattn led to a significant event that should not have happened. I should have taken more time to analyze the problem and taken into consideration that a malfunction contributed to the flameout. If I had done that; I would have chosen ZZZ1 as nearest suitable for the fact that it was closer in straight line distance and that it has maintenance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INATTENTION TO SWITCH POSITION WHILE BALANCING FUEL WING TO WING RESULTS IN FLAME OUT OF RIGHT ENGINE FOR B737-500 FLT CREW.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL370; I HAD A FUEL IMBAL BTWN THE MAIN TANKS. ORIGINALLY THE #2 ENG WAS HEAVIER THAN THE #1 BY 300 LBS. I GOT CAUGHT UP TELLING A STORY AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW WAS THAT THE #1 MAIN WAS NOW 500 LBS HEAVIER THAN THE #2 MAIN. I DIDN'T PAY ATTN TO MY VALVES IN CHANGING THE XFEED. I MUST HAVE TURNED OFF THE XFEED VALVE WHEN I TURNED OFF THE #2 MAIN TANK PUMPS. WITHIN ABOUT 10 SECONDS; THE #2 ENG FLAMED OUT. WE BROKE OUT THE QRH; ADVISED ATC OF OUR NEED TO GET AN EMER DSCNT; AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENG MULTIPLE TIMES. WE FINALLY HAD TO START THE APU AND USE APU-ASSISTED PROCS TO GET THE ENG STARTED WHEN PASSING FL260. I CONTINUED TO DSND TO FL240; OUR ASSIGNED ALT. I SENT DISPATCH A MESSAGE ADVISING THEM OF WHAT HAPPENED. I CHKED MY POS -- I WAS 175 MI E OF ZZZ1 AND 225 MI S OF ZZZ. IN MY OPINION; ZZZ (MY ORIGINAL DEST) STILL QUALIFIED AS THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT BECAUSE TO ME THE DIFFERENCE IN DISTANCE WAS NOT THAT SIGNIFICANT. I SENT DISPATCH A MESSAGE SAYING THAT IT WAS MY INTENT TO CONTINUE TO ZZZ UNLESS TOLD OTHERWISE. THEY CONCURRED. LNDG AT ZZZ WAS UNEVENTFUL. PAY ATTN TO SWITCH POS! MY INATTN LED TO A SIGNIFICANT EVENT THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE TIME TO ANALYZE THE PROB AND TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THAT A MALFUNCTION CONTRIBUTED TO THE FLAMEOUT. IF I HAD DONE THAT; I WOULD HAVE CHOSEN ZZZ1 AS NEAREST SUITABLE FOR THE FACT THAT IT WAS CLOSER IN STRAIGHT LINE DISTANCE AND THAT IT HAS MAINT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.