Narrative:

The aircraft had experienced a flameout. Actually, the engine had only lost power for 5 seconds or so. This had happened a week prior to the reason for this report. I reviewed the logbook and found that maintenance had not found anything to fix. So, the morning of may/fri/92 and may/fri/92, I tested the engine myself. Both nights WX conditions were cavu and the aircraft was light. Both dates in cruise, just prior to descent, I asked the so to switch off the #1 engine boost pump. It was our understanding from ground school, that the engine should remain running. In both cases, the engine began to flameout after 20 seconds. I entered these occurrences in the logbook. I was told later by company supervisors that troubleshooting on a revenue flight was not only unsafe, but not approved by the FAA. In retrospect, I suppose they are right. I was becoming frustrated with the inability of maintenance to find the cause for this situation and took it upon myself to determine if the aircraft was indeed airworthy. I was careful that I was not to completely flame the engine out, and was careful that all conditions such as WX and weight were favorable. I realize now that I should let the established system of maintenance and such work for itself.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF HVT CARGO FLT ATTEMPTS TO TROUBLESHOOT UNRESOLVED ENG MAINT PROBLEM DURING FLT BY TURNING OFF FUEL BOOST PUMPS. RPTR ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF PREVIOUS UNEXPLAINED FLAMEOUTS. FAR.

Narrative: THE ACFT HAD EXPERIENCED A FLAMEOUT. ACTUALLY, THE ENG HAD ONLY LOST PWR FOR 5 SECONDS OR SO. THIS HAD HAPPENED A WK PRIOR TO THE REASON FOR THIS RPT. I REVIEWED THE LOGBOOK AND FOUND THAT MAINT HAD NOT FOUND ANYTHING TO FIX. SO, THE MORNING OF MAY/FRI/92 AND MAY/FRI/92, I TESTED THE ENG MYSELF. BOTH NIGHTS WX CONDITIONS WERE CAVU AND THE ACFT WAS LIGHT. BOTH DATES IN CRUISE, JUST PRIOR TO DSCNT, I ASKED THE SO TO SWITCH OFF THE #1 ENG BOOST PUMP. IT WAS OUR UNDERSTANDING FROM GND SCHOOL, THAT THE ENG SHOULD REMAIN RUNNING. IN BOTH CASES, THE ENG BEGAN TO FLAMEOUT AFTER 20 SECONDS. I ENTERED THESE OCCURRENCES IN THE LOGBOOK. I WAS TOLD LATER BY COMPANY SUPVRS THAT TROUBLESHOOTING ON A REVENUE FLT WAS NOT ONLY UNSAFE, BUT NOT APPROVED BY THE FAA. IN RETROSPECT, I SUPPOSE THEY ARE RIGHT. I WAS BECOMING FRUSTRATED WITH THE INABILITY OF MAINT TO FIND THE CAUSE FOR THIS SITUATION AND TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO DETERMINE IF THE ACFT WAS INDEED AIRWORTHY. I WAS CAREFUL THAT I WAS NOT TO COMPLETELY FLAME THE ENG OUT, AND WAS CAREFUL THAT ALL CONDITIONS SUCH AS WX AND WT WERE FAVORABLE. I REALIZE NOW THAT I SHOULD LET THE ESTABLISHED SYS OF MAINT AND SUCH WORK FOR ITSELF.

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.