Return land situation set up by in-flight engine shutdown in an overwater, night operation in foreig...

Attributes
ACN	237783
Time
Date	199304
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : onc
State Reference	FO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Route In Use	enroute : pacific enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : rorg
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 17070 flight time type : 3250
ASRS Report	237783
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Engine was shut down due to loss of oil, ok so far. Had departed narita en route to bangkok. At time of shutdown possible divert points were: 1) naha -- closest but no maintenance available and limited passenger handling capacity, i.e., unsuitable, 2) taipei, or 3) narita. #2 and #3 approximately equal time away, both with good maintenance and passenger handling but 3 under curfew, so began diversion to #2. Later, under intense pressure from company, reversed course and returned to #3. Company manuals and procedures stress importance of curfew at narita. At time of engine shutdown only logical choices were divert to taipei or declare an emergency and return to narita. Because engine shutdown was precautionary and engine could have been restarted the declaration of an emergency did not seem warranted. Therefore I chose taipei. I misunderstood narita curfew and exceptions/violations. Changing diversion destination to return to point of origin added to engine out time and was a mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RETURN LAND SIT SET UP BY INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN IN AN OVERWATER, NIGHT OP IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE.

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.

Return land situation set up by in-flight engine shutdown in an overwater, night operation in foreign airspace.