Narrative:

During climb out from sat (FL180), we were informed of black smoke emanating from our #3 engine on takeoff through sat departure control. At that time we checked #3 engine performance. Instruments and all indications normal. We then checked oil qty and discovered it to be low, reading 2.1 gals. After further climb we switched to ZHU and requested level off at FL230 when oil qty continued to drop (1.5 gals), necessitating an engine shutdown. The engine oil pressure held constant and indicated normally. The engine was shut down utilizing required checklists, during which time oil qty dropped to 1.0 gals. A descent to 13000' was made and an emergency declared. With #3 engine shut down and no immediate need to make a landing, the decision was made to continue on to dfw. At the time the engine was shut down, we were approximately 30 mins from dfw. A #2 engine landing was conducted west/O further incidence. Hats off to the individual who observed the black smoke in sat, as well as sat departure for passing the information along. The timely heads-up turned a potential sudden engine seizure into a precautionary engine shut down west/O any surprises. All controling authorities involved were very helpful toward making this flight evolution a safe and uneventful one. Professionalism, good cockpit crew coordination and good communication between cockpit and cabin also contributed to the safe flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PRECAUTIONARY ENGINE SHUTDOWN INFLT.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT FROM SAT (FL180), WE WERE INFORMED OF BLACK SMOKE EMANATING FROM OUR #3 ENG ON TKOF THROUGH SAT DEP CTL. AT THAT TIME WE CHKED #3 ENG PERFORMANCE. INSTRUMENTS AND ALL INDICATIONS NORMAL. WE THEN CHKED OIL QTY AND DISCOVERED IT TO BE LOW, READING 2.1 GALS. AFTER FURTHER CLB WE SWITCHED TO ZHU AND REQUESTED LEVEL OFF AT FL230 WHEN OIL QTY CONTINUED TO DROP (1.5 GALS), NECESSITATING AN ENG SHUTDOWN. THE ENG OIL PRESSURE HELD CONSTANT AND INDICATED NORMALLY. THE ENG WAS SHUT DOWN UTILIZING REQUIRED CHKLISTS, DURING WHICH TIME OIL QTY DROPPED TO 1.0 GALS. A DSCNT TO 13000' WAS MADE AND AN EMER DECLARED. WITH #3 ENG SHUT DOWN AND NO IMMEDIATE NEED TO MAKE A LNDG, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO CONTINUE ON TO DFW. AT THE TIME THE ENG WAS SHUT DOWN, WE WERE APPROX 30 MINS FROM DFW. A #2 ENG LNDG WAS CONDUCTED W/O FURTHER INCIDENCE. HATS OFF TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO OBSERVED THE BLACK SMOKE IN SAT, AS WELL AS SAT DEP FOR PASSING THE INFO ALONG. THE TIMELY HEADS-UP TURNED A POTENTIAL SUDDEN ENG SEIZURE INTO A PRECAUTIONARY ENG SHUT DOWN W/O ANY SURPRISES. ALL CTLING AUTHORITIES INVOLVED WERE VERY HELPFUL TOWARD MAKING THIS FLT EVOLUTION A SAFE AND UNEVENTFUL ONE. PROFESSIONALISM, GOOD COCKPIT CREW COORD AND GOOD COM BTWN COCKPIT AND CABIN ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE SAFE FLT.

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