Narrative:

The flame out was caused by a lack of pressurized fuel to the #3 engine. Moments before the flame out, the second officer was balancing fuel between tanks 1 and 3 using standard procedures. However, when he finished balancing fuel, he closed #3 xfeed valve but didn't turn on #3 tank boost pumps. A few mins later, the #3 engine rolled back and flamed out. During the roll back, I asked the second officer to check essential power as I looked at the second officer panel, I noticed both boost pumps for the #3 tank were turned off and the #3 xfeed valve was closed. I called memphis center requesting drift down to a lower altitude, they cleared us to FL250. The engine failure checklist was accomplished followed by the in-flight engine start checklist. The engine was successfully restarted at FL290. The flight was completed west/O further incident. Supplemental information from acn 151793. I dimmed the individual lights on the second officer's panel including the individual fuel pump low pressure lights to a lighting level commensurate with the fading ambient light conditions. The first time that I began balancing fuel, the sun had set completely and I therefore dimmed the fuel boost pumps completely in order to minimize the distractions to the captain and first officer from the lights. At some point prior to balancing the fuel as we approached little rock the captain selected the cabin lighting to 'all white' (I believe) and all of the fluorescent lighting and the cabin dome lights were illuminated completely. Because of the high level of cabin lighting, it was very difficult to see the dimmed fuel pump low pressure lights. I failed to notice the lights and therefore did not turn on the pumps on tank 3. The captain completed an irregularity report and I filled out a maintenance action form in the aircraft logbook detailing the cause for the engine shutdown in order to facilitate a proper engine inspection procedure should one be required.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER FUEL TRANSFER OPERATION, ACR LGT AT CRUISE EXPERIENCES ENGINE FLAME OUT DUE FUEL PUMPS NOT RESELECTED TO ON POSITION.

Narrative: THE FLAME OUT WAS CAUSED BY A LACK OF PRESSURIZED FUEL TO THE #3 ENG. MOMENTS BEFORE THE FLAME OUT, THE S/O WAS BALANCING FUEL BTWN TANKS 1 AND 3 USING STANDARD PROCS. HOWEVER, WHEN HE FINISHED BALANCING FUEL, HE CLOSED #3 XFEED VALVE BUT DIDN'T TURN ON #3 TANK BOOST PUMPS. A FEW MINS LATER, THE #3 ENG ROLLED BACK AND FLAMED OUT. DURING THE ROLL BACK, I ASKED THE S/O TO CHK ESSENTIAL PWR AS I LOOKED AT THE S/O PANEL, I NOTICED BOTH BOOST PUMPS FOR THE #3 TANK WERE TURNED OFF AND THE #3 XFEED VALVE WAS CLOSED. I CALLED MEMPHIS CTR REQUESTING DRIFT DOWN TO A LOWER ALT, THEY CLRED US TO FL250. THE ENG FAILURE CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED FOLLOWED BY THE INFLT ENG START CHKLIST. THE ENG WAS SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTED AT FL290. THE FLT WAS COMPLETED W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 151793. I DIMMED THE INDIVIDUAL LIGHTS ON THE S/O'S PANEL INCLUDING THE INDIVIDUAL FUEL PUMP LOW PRESSURE LIGHTS TO A LIGHTING LEVEL COMMENSURATE WITH THE FADING AMBIENT LIGHT CONDITIONS. THE FIRST TIME THAT I BEGAN BALANCING FUEL, THE SUN HAD SET COMPLETELY AND I THEREFORE DIMMED THE FUEL BOOST PUMPS COMPLETELY IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE DISTRACTIONS TO THE CAPT AND F/O FROM THE LIGHTS. AT SOME POINT PRIOR TO BALANCING THE FUEL AS WE APCHED LITTLE ROCK THE CAPT SELECTED THE CABIN LIGHTING TO 'ALL WHITE' (I BELIEVE) AND ALL OF THE FLUORESCENT LIGHTING AND THE CABIN DOME LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED COMPLETELY. BECAUSE OF THE HIGH LEVEL OF CABIN LIGHTING, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE DIMMED FUEL PUMP LOW PRESSURE LIGHTS. I FAILED TO NOTICE THE LIGHTS AND THEREFORE DID NOT TURN ON THE PUMPS ON TANK 3. THE CAPT COMPLETED AN IRREGULARITY RPT AND I FILLED OUT A MAINT ACTION FORM IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK DETAILING THE CAUSE FOR THE ENG SHUTDOWN IN ORDER TO FACILITATE A PROPER ENG INSPECTION PROC SHOULD ONE BE REQUIRED.

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.