Narrative:

Simply put, we lost the oil from our #4 engine while en route to tokyo from detroit. Fuel was dumped and diversion was made to msp. Repairs were made and the trip was continued to tokyo. 2 reasons for this narrative: 1) I was to have reported in the ship's log that fuel was dumped. Did not realize this until preparing co/FAA narrative while in tokyo. ATC was so advised of both the commencement and termination of fuel dumped as was the co, ie, everyone was aware but not noted. My real concern was the amount of radio communication, either out of a desire to assist or assumed necessity, for a 2-MAN crew, the request for information 1) fuel on board, 2) pass on board, 3) still dumping? It appeared there was little or no communication between controllers. Numerous requests for exactly the same information. This is extremely distracting when trying (or better said) accomplishing the necessary procedures. In other words, too much outside and duplicate interference. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: we progressed through 3 ARTCC controllers getting clearance, descent, change of routing, etc. All went very smooth except each one asked the same questions. After we had completed dumping fuel, 160,000 pounds. We reported and the next controller asked if we had stopped dumping. It seemed that controllers were not passing along the information we were giving them. Do not remember if approach controller asked for information but even the ground controller asked for station of origin, fuel remaining and number of passenger plus crew. Fortunately the second captain came up and assisted in information to the passenger and cabin flight crew.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB FLT CREW OBLIGED TO SHUT DOWN ENGINE, DIVERT TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT. SUPERFLUOUS COM WITH ARTCC CAUSED UNNECESSARY WORKLOAD ON TWO MAN CREW.

Narrative: SIMPLY PUT, WE LOST THE OIL FROM OUR #4 ENGINE WHILE ENRTE TO TOKYO FROM DETROIT. FUEL WAS DUMPED AND DIVERSION WAS MADE TO MSP. REPAIRS WERE MADE AND THE TRIP WAS CONTINUED TO TOKYO. 2 REASONS FOR THIS NARRATIVE: 1) I WAS TO HAVE REPORTED IN THE SHIP'S LOG THAT FUEL WAS DUMPED. DID NOT REALIZE THIS UNTIL PREPARING CO/FAA NARRATIVE WHILE IN TOKYO. ATC WAS SO ADVISED OF BOTH THE COMMENCEMENT AND TERMINATION OF FUEL DUMPED AS WAS THE CO, IE, EVERYONE WAS AWARE BUT NOT NOTED. MY REAL CONCERN WAS THE AMOUNT OF RADIO COMMUNICATION, EITHER OUT OF A DESIRE TO ASSIST OR ASSUMED NECESSITY, FOR A 2-MAN CREW, THE REQUEST FOR INFO 1) FUEL ON BOARD, 2) PASS ON BOARD, 3) STILL DUMPING? IT APPEARED THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO COM BETWEEN CTLRS. NUMEROUS REQUESTS FOR EXACTLY THE SAME INFO. THIS IS EXTREMELY DISTRACTING WHEN TRYING (OR BETTER SAID) ACCOMPLISHING THE NECESSARY PROCS. IN OTHER WORDS, TOO MUCH OUTSIDE AND DUPLICATE INTERFERENCE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: WE PROGRESSED THROUGH 3 ARTCC CTLRS GETTING CLRNC, DSCNT, CHANGE OF ROUTING, ETC. ALL WENT VERY SMOOTH EXCEPT EACH ONE ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS. AFTER WE HAD COMPLETED DUMPING FUEL, 160,000 LBS. WE REPORTED AND THE NEXT CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD STOPPED DUMPING. IT SEEMED THAT CTLRS WERE NOT PASSING ALONG THE INFO WE WERE GIVING THEM. DO NOT REMEMBER IF APCH CTLR ASKED FOR INFO BUT EVEN THE GND CTLR ASKED FOR STATION OF ORIGIN, FUEL REMAINING AND NUMBER OF PAX PLUS CREW. FORTUNATELY THE SECOND CAPT CAME UP AND ASSISTED IN INFO TO THE PAX AND CABIN FLT CREW.

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.