A B747's number four engine failed at FL310 ten minutes before the equal time point. Unable to hold ...

Attributes
ACN	850849
Time
Date	200908
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	FO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Turbine Engine
Person 1
Function	Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Commercial
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 90 Flight Crew Total 29000 Flight Crew Type 1500
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical

Narrative:

At approximately XA45 zulu we heard a loud 'poof.' number 4 engine spooled down. After appropriate checklists and further analysis and inspections; we tried to re-lite. No luck. Control gave us a descent to FL280. It would not hold. After repeated requests; without answer; I declared an emergency and descended off course 15 NM and did a 180 degree turn to go back. We were still 30 minutes from etp. During further discussion with company on sat phone we got a new destination; figuring to land with 30;000 pounds. We landed with 25;000 pounds. Although it was not the original flight plan alternate; the weather was good and there was maintenance there. I think that in hindsight a closer airport might have been safer. The regulations say suitable; however; not closest for deviation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747's number four engine failed at FL310 ten minutes before the equal time point. Unable to hold the assigned altitude of FL280 and unable to contact ATC; an emergency was declared with a course reversal and diversion to an alternate airport.

Narrative: At approximately XA45 Zulu we heard a loud 'poof.' Number 4 engine spooled down. After appropriate checklists and further analysis and inspections; we tried to re-lite. No luck. Control gave us a descent to FL280. It would not hold. After repeated requests; without answer; I declared an emergency and descended off course 15 NM and did a 180 degree turn to go back. We were still 30 minutes from ETP. During further discussion with company on SAT phone we got a new destination; figuring to land with 30;000 LBS. We landed with 25;000 LBS. Although it was not the original flight plan alternate; the weather was good and there was maintenance there. I think that in hindsight a closer airport might have been safer. The regulations say suitable; however; not closest for deviation.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.