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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Air carrier widebody transport experienced an engine flame-out at FL370. Flight crew was unable to contact ARTCC and drifted down to FL360 before amended clearance was received through relay from another aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 118285 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198907 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : anc |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 36000 msl bound upper : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zan |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody Transport |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : other oceanic enroute : pacific enroute airway : r220 enroute other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 |
| ASRS Report | 118285 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
In cruise at 37000', #1 engine flamed out. I attempted to contact zan, but was unable. On 3 engines, at our gross weight, the airplane was unable to maintain 37000' and we began a slow drift down. I was finally able to have another flight obtain a clearance from zan and relay that clearance to us; however by that time the aircraft had drifted down to 36000'. Our traffic at 35000' (same direction) was in sight at all times, so at no time was safety compromised. The occurrence could have been prevented by having the capability to talk to center in real time. In the case of an engine failure at high altitude, the crew may have 60 seconds at most before a drift down must be initiated. The reason being of course, that it is physically impossible for the aircraft to maintain that altitude on 3 engines.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR WDB EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FLAME-OUT AT FL370. FLT CREW WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT ARTCC AND DRIFTED DOWN TO FL360 BEFORE AMENDED CLRNC WAS RECEIVED THROUGH RELAY FROM ANOTHER ACFT.
Narrative: IN CRUISE AT 37000', #1 ENG FLAMED OUT. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ZAN, BUT WAS UNABLE. ON 3 ENGS, AT OUR GROSS WT, THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 37000' AND WE BEGAN A SLOW DRIFT DOWN. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO HAVE ANOTHER FLT OBTAIN A CLRNC FROM ZAN AND RELAY THAT CLRNC TO US; HOWEVER BY THAT TIME THE ACFT HAD DRIFTED DOWN TO 36000'. OUR TFC AT 35000' (SAME DIRECTION) WAS IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES, SO AT NO TIME WAS SAFETY COMPROMISED. THE OCCURRENCE COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY HAVING THE CAPABILITY TO TALK TO CENTER IN REAL TIME. IN THE CASE OF AN ENG FAILURE AT HIGH ALT, THE CREW MAY HAVE 60 SECS AT MOST BEFORE A DRIFT DOWN MUST BE INITIATED. THE REASON BEING OF COURSE, THAT IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE ACFT TO MAINTAIN THAT ALT ON 3 ENGS.
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.