37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 207238 |
Time | |
Date | 199204 |
Day | Sat |
Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | atc facility : buf |
State Reference | NY |
Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | Mixed |
Light | Night |
Aircraft 1 | |
Controlling Facilities | artcc : czyz |
Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
Navigation In Use | Other |
Flight Phase | cruise other |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | company : air carrier |
Function | flight crew : first officer |
Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
Experience | flight time last 90 days : 73 flight time total : 8043 flight time type : 1700 |
ASRS Report | 207238 |
Person 2 | |
Affiliation | company : air carrier |
Function | flight crew : second officer |
Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
Experience | flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1500 |
ASRS Report | 207640 |
Events | |
Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other |
Consequence | Other |
Supplementary | |
Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
It was the captþs leg on a flight from msp to bos in a widebody transport. We were at FL310 in cruise, on top of the overcast, deviating a few mi north of a direct course previously assigned by ATC of INS direct to alb for a line of thunderstorms. #2 engine appeared to compressor stall. N1, N2, and egt stayed well below upper limits and when the captain brought #2 thrust lever to idle, the engine spooled down. We attempted a restart, but there was no fuel flow or light off when the start lever was raised. We requested FL240, but due to WX activity below and to the south, we decided to level off at FL270 to stay on top of the WX. FL270 was approved by ATC. After 2 more start attempts at FL270, we secured the #2 engine. By this time we were over syr. During this time, I was getting WX at syr and bos, flying the airplane, deviating around buildups, and talking on the radios while the captain and so were doing the checklists and coordinating with company dispatch and maintenance control. Due to the WX conditions in the area (low ceilings, thunderstorms, fog), airport familiarity, runway length, etc., we decided that bos was the most suitable airport. We had 3 hours worth of fuel and the WX was better to the east and we didnþt want to descend into icing conditions and turbulence or turn around and go back into the thunderstorm activity. We declared an emergency with ATC after we were unable to restart the engine. (Kept them advised of our situation before that point). Maintenance control thought the hydraulic stage of the fuel control unit had failed, preventing fuel to the engine and we agreed. We continued to bos without further incident. I believe the crew made the correct decision in the interest of safety. All resources were utilized by the captain in his decision making and the crew worked well together. Supplemental information from acn 207640: dispatch suggested landing in syr but the captain decided to continue to bos due to the WX in syr. The WX was 500 broken 1000 overcast, 1 mi and fog and thunderstorms over the airport. I believe this was the best decision due to the WX in syr and from the engine indications. During the engine failure, the first officer was flying the aircraft and sometimes talking to ATC while the captain and myself were working on the problem and talking to company.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WDB HAS ENG FAILURE. UNABLE RESTART. DECLARE EMER AND CONTINUED TO DEST.
Narrative: IT WAS THE CAPTþS LEG ON A FLT FROM MSP TO BOS IN A WDB. WE WERE AT FL310 IN CRUISE, ON TOP OF THE OVCST, DEVIATING A FEW MI N OF A DIRECT COURSE PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED BY ATC OF INS DIRECT TO ALB FOR A LINE OF TSTMS. #2 ENG APPEARED TO COMPRESSOR STALL. N1, N2, AND EGT STAYED WELL BELOW UPPER LIMITS AND WHEN THE CAPT BROUGHT #2 THRUST LEVER TO IDLE, THE ENG SPOOLED DOWN. WE ATTEMPTED A RESTART, BUT THERE WAS NO FUEL FLOW OR LIGHT OFF WHEN THE START LEVER WAS RAISED. WE REQUESTED FL240, BUT DUE TO WX ACTIVITY BELOW AND TO THE S, WE DECIDED TO LEVEL OFF AT FL270 TO STAY ON TOP OF THE WX. FL270 WAS APPROVED BY ATC. AFTER 2 MORE START ATTEMPTS AT FL270, WE SECURED THE #2 ENG. BY THIS TIME WE WERE OVER SYR. DURING THIS TIME, I WAS GETTING WX AT SYR AND BOS, FLYING THE AIRPLANE, DEVIATING AROUND BUILDUPS, AND TALKING ON THE RADIOS WHILE THE CAPT AND SO WERE DOING THE CHKLISTS AND COORDINATING WITH COMPANY DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL. DUE TO THE WX CONDITIONS IN THE AREA (LOW CEILINGS, TSTMS, FOG), ARPT FAMILIARITY, RWY LENGTH, ETC., WE DECIDED THAT BOS WAS THE MOST SUITABLE ARPT. WE HAD 3 HRS WORTH OF FUEL AND THE WX WAS BETTER TO THE E AND WE DIDNþT WANT TO DSND INTO ICING CONDITIONS AND TURB OR TURN AROUND AND GO BACK INTO THE TSTM ACTIVITY. WE DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC AFTER WE WERE UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENG. (KEPT THEM ADVISED OF OUR SITUATION BEFORE THAT POINT). MAINT CTL THOUGHT THE HYD STAGE OF THE FUEL CTL UNIT HAD FAILED, PREVENTING FUEL TO THE ENG AND WE AGREED. WE CONTINUED TO BOS WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE CREW MADE THE CORRECT DECISION IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY. ALL RESOURCES WERE UTILIZED BY THE CAPT IN HIS DECISION MAKING AND THE CREW WORKED WELL TOGETHER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 207640: DISPATCH SUGGESTED LNDG IN SYR BUT THE CAPT DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO BOS DUE TO THE WX IN SYR. THE WX WAS 500 BROKEN 1000 OVCST, 1 MI AND FOG AND TSTMS OVER THE ARPT. I BELIEVE THIS WAS THE BEST DECISION DUE TO THE WX IN SYR AND FROM THE ENG INDICATIONS. DURING THE ENG FAILURE, THE FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND SOMETIMES TALKING TO ATC WHILE THE CAPT AND MYSELF WERE WORKING ON THE PROBLEM AND TALKING TO COMPANY.
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.