Air carrier large transport so mismanages aircraft fuel system causing engine flameout.

Attributes
ACN	145092
Time
Date	199005
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zbv
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : zma
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	145092
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In cruise at FL370 at XA38Z, captain scanned the second officer fuel panel and noticed a 1100 pounds imbalance between the #1 and #3 fuel tanks (wing tanks). The second officer was prompted to put the fuel back in balance. As the captain watched, he correctly configured the fuel panel to burn the fuel from the heavy wing tank. Then somehow, at XA42Z, the second officer turned off the fuel boost pumps in the #3 and closed the #3 fuel xfeed, which flamed out the #3 engine. Ignition was turned on, fuel boost pumps were turned on and the start lever was placed to start. The engine failed to return to a normal flight idle and was shut down in accordance with the in-flight engine shutdown checklist. A descent was approved to FL250, and during the descent the #3 engine was immediately restarted using the in-flight start checklist. Power was reapplied, the engine continued to operate normally, and the flight climbed back to altitude and continued to destination. The problem was caused by the second officer being fatigued from being awake for almost 24 hours straight. He jump-seated to mem on an air carrier aircraft and was not fully rested for a 3 leg international trip. Crew members should not be allowed to jump seat, then operate a flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT SO MISMANAGES ACFT FUEL SYSTEM CAUSING ENGINE FLAMEOUT.

Narrative: IN CRUISE AT FL370 AT XA38Z, CAPT SCANNED THE S/O FUEL PANEL AND NOTICED A 1100 LBS IMBALANCE BTWN THE #1 AND #3 FUEL TANKS (WING TANKS). THE S/O WAS PROMPTED TO PUT THE FUEL BACK IN BAL. AS THE CAPT WATCHED, HE CORRECTLY CONFIGURED THE FUEL PANEL TO BURN THE FUEL FROM THE HEAVY WING TANK. THEN SOMEHOW, AT XA42Z, THE S/O TURNED OFF THE FUEL BOOST PUMPS IN THE #3 AND CLOSED THE #3 FUEL XFEED, WHICH FLAMED OUT THE #3 ENG. IGNITION WAS TURNED ON, FUEL BOOST PUMPS WERE TURNED ON AND THE START LEVER WAS PLACED TO START. THE ENG FAILED TO RETURN TO A NORMAL FLT IDLE AND WAS SHUT DOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN CHKLIST. A DSNT WAS APPROVED TO FL250, AND DURING THE DSNT THE #3 ENG WAS IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED USING THE INFLT START CHKLIST. PWR WAS REAPPLIED, THE ENG CONTINUED TO OPERATE NORMALLY, AND THE FLT CLBED BACK TO ALT AND CONTINUED TO DEST. THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY THE S/O BEING FATIGUED FROM BEING AWAKE FOR ALMOST 24 HRS STRAIGHT. HE JUMP-SEATED TO MEM ON AN ACR ACFT AND WAS NOT FULLY RESTED FOR A 3 LEG INTL TRIP. CREW MEMBERS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO JUMP SEAT, THEN OPERATE A FLT.

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