In-flight engine shutdown on large transport.

Attributes
ACN	216463
Time
Date	199207
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	arrival 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 : 180 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 360
ASRS Report	216463
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	216704
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
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:

On a flight from philadelphia to charlotte, descending in to charlotte, the following occurred: we were descending at idle power at about 25000 ft. When the autothrottles came forward for the level off, the left throttle advanced much more than the right. We looked at the left engine gauges and saw that the engine was not responding. N1, N2, and N3 were remaining at idle indications. With both engines at idle, the left egt was much higher than the right (595 degrees) and the left oil pressure was much lower (30 psi), although neither was a redline indication. We continued to descend on profile into charlotte and discussed it. The captain elected a precautionary shutdown. We accomplished this using the checklist. We informed ATC (ZDC, I think) of the shutdown and said we needed no immediate assistance. We informed passenger and company. We discussed that charlotte was just as close as greensboro, i.e. It would take just as long to spiral into gso as to continue to clt. Also, the facilities were better in clt, we felt. We continued and asked to have the equipment standing by in clt. On clt approach, we asked for 36L (the long runway) and confirmed that the equipment was standing by. We asked for a long final -- 10 mi -- in order to complete checklists and stabilize. We were #1 for the airport and the captain flew a safe and stable approach to a successful landing. Looking back -- should we have shut the engine down? It was not operating correctly, obviously, and may have been further damaged if we left it running. Should we have declared an emergency? We had the equipment standing by and did not need priority as we were #1 anyway. It was just an abnormal situation, no fire or severe damage. One company policy we may have missed -- we were not cleared to continue our sequence for the rest of the day by the vice president of flight operations. However, we were released by the dispatcher to continue with a widebody transport to mia back to clt, and this may be the vice president's representative.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN ON LGT.

Narrative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

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.