Widebody transport eastbound on nat track down an engine, turns around for return to boston.

Attributes
ACN	120982
Time
Date	198908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cyqx
State Reference	NF
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute airway : nat v
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	120982
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

When established on nat track 'V' it became necessary to shut an engine down. While requesting a clearance from gander oceanic for a course reversal and drift down to lower flight level, an emergency was declared by the PNF but not acknowledged by gander. The crew then began the 'contingency procedure', also announcing in the blind to other traffic our intentions as well as executing the 'engine failure fire or separation' checklist. Gander was a bit slow at reclearing us back towards boston thereafter. The crew made the situation, altitude capability and intentions, very clear to gander and assumed that gander was aware of our 'emergency' status, no real traffic conflicts arose fortunately, due to the late hour. An hour late the crew checked moncton center and found that no emergency existed in the ATC view. The moral of this long-winded diatribe is that canadian ATC never once asked if we wanted an 'emergency' even though they knew and acknowledged the fact that we had an engine inoperative and were executing a 'track contingency' procedure. It would be nice if they suspect an emergency, ask if the air crew wants it declared.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB EASTBOUND ON NAT TRACK DOWN AN ENGINE, TURNS AROUND FOR RETURN TO BOSTON.

Narrative: WHEN ESTABLISHED ON NAT TRACK 'V' IT BECAME NECESSARY TO SHUT AN ENGINE DOWN. WHILE REQUESTING A CLRNC FROM GANDER OCEANIC FOR A COURSE REVERSAL AND DRIFT DOWN TO LOWER FLT LEVEL, AN EMER WAS DECLARED BY THE PNF BUT NOT ACKNOWLEDGED BY GANDER. THE CREW THEN BEGAN THE 'CONTINGENCY PROC', ALSO ANNOUNCING IN THE BLIND TO OTHER TFC OUR INTENTIONS AS WELL AS EXECUTING THE 'ENGINE FAILURE FIRE OR SEPARATION' CHECKLIST. GANDER WAS A BIT SLOW AT RECLEARING US BACK TOWARDS BOSTON THEREAFTER. THE CREW MADE THE SITUATION, ALT CAPABILITY AND INTENTIONS, VERY CLEAR TO GANDER AND ASSUMED THAT GANDER WAS AWARE OF OUR 'EMER' STATUS, NO REAL TFC CONFLICTS AROSE FORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE LATE HOUR. AN HOUR LATE THE CREW CHECKED MONCTON CENTER AND FOUND THAT NO EMER EXISTED IN THE ATC VIEW. THE MORAL OF THIS LONG-WINDED DIATRIBE IS THAT CANADIAN ATC NEVER ONCE ASKED IF WE WANTED AN 'EMER' EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE FACT THAT WE HAD AN ENGINE INOPERATIVE AND WERE EXECUTING A 'TRACK CONTINGENCY' PROC. IT WOULD BE NICE IF THEY SUSPECT AN EMER, ASK IF THE AIR CREW WANTS IT DECLARED.

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.