Flight crew lost control of the fuel heat valve and had to shut the engine down.

Attributes
ACN	159350
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : shv
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13000
ASRS Report	159350
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At cruise we had a higher than normal fuel temperature on the left engine and oil temperature slightly below the caution zone. We suspected that the fuel heat valve was slightly open. In an effort to fully close the valve we turned on the left fuel heat. The valve failed in the full open position and the fuel heat control circuit breaker popped. Breaker would not reset. Oil temperature could not be controled below caution zone and engine was shut down in accordance with our procedures. Uneventful landing was made at shv. I think that crews should be cautioned that with the same engine indications (high fuel temperature and oil temperature higher than normal) fuel heat valve failure should be considered. Activating the fuel heat could result in the valve driving full open and sticking there.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW LOST CTL OF THE FUEL HEAT VALVE AND HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN.

Narrative: AT CRUISE WE HAD A HIGHER THAN NORMAL FUEL TEMP ON THE LEFT ENG AND OIL TEMP SLIGHTLY BELOW THE CAUTION ZONE. WE SUSPECTED THAT THE FUEL HEAT VALVE WAS SLIGHTLY OPEN. IN AN EFFORT TO FULLY CLOSE THE VALVE WE TURNED ON THE LEFT FUEL HEAT. THE VALVE FAILED IN THE FULL OPEN POS AND THE FUEL HEAT CTL CB POPPED. BREAKER WOULD NOT RESET. OIL TEMP COULD NOT BE CTLED BELOW CAUTION ZONE AND ENG WAS SHUT DOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR PROCS. UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE AT SHV. I THINK THAT CREWS SHOULD BE CAUTIONED THAT WITH THE SAME ENG INDICATIONS (HIGH FUEL TEMP AND OIL TEMP HIGHER THAN NORMAL) FUEL HEAT VALVE FAILURE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. ACTIVATING THE FUEL HEAT COULD RESULT IN THE VALVE DRIVING FULL OPEN AND STICKING THERE.

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.