In-flight engine shutdown. Diversion to alternate.

Attributes
ACN	296664
Time
Date	199502
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vxv
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 11000
ASRS Report	296664
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	296801
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

In cruise flight, #2 engine fire warning activated. This aircraft had several previous false warnings on the same engine, one only 3 days earlier. #2 engine was shut down according to our cockpit operating manual, and 1 fire bottle was discharged. The captain decided to save the other one in case we had a real fire. He was flying at the time. He turned control of the aircraft to me and also ATC communication while he and the so completed the checklist. While drifting down, flying the aircraft, navigating and talking to ATC I tuned in mem VOR and it showed 185 NM, which I passed on to the captain. He said 'tell center we want to go to mem.' actually, we were about 285 NM from mem (my fault). The captain talked to dispatch, and the 4 considered having us land at bna, but decided to send us on to mem where we have a hub and spare planes and maintenance. We landed uneventfully at mem in good WX about 40 mins later. Point of this filing: repeat write-ups causing in-flight engine shutdown. Diversions in 3 engine aircraft with 1 shutdown. How far can you legally fly? Supplemental information from acn 296801: a false warning had occurred ironically on the same flight segment from dfw to tpa (on that flight the crew continued on to the destination city of tpa). I carefully viewed all other engine gauges, egt, oil temperature, aft lower body and strut overheat lights not illuminated, good oil pressure, etc, and came to the conclusion that this warning also had a high probability of being false. The crew continued the emergency procedure by shutting down the #2 engine. With the concurrence of our company dispatch we did a precautionary divert to our company's hub station which was not the nearest suitable airport as FARS allow in the case of 3 or more engined aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 296449: declared emergency. Landed mem, no problems taxi to gate. After 2 1/2 hours maintenance still could not find problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN. DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT, #2 ENG FIRE WARNING ACTIVATED. THIS ACFT HAD SEVERAL PREVIOUS FALSE WARNINGS ON THE SAME ENG, ONE ONLY 3 DAYS EARLIER. #2 ENG WAS SHUT DOWN ACCORDING TO OUR COCKPIT OPERATING MANUAL, AND 1 FIRE BOTTLE WAS DISCHARGED. THE CAPT DECIDED TO SAVE THE OTHER ONE IN CASE WE HAD A REAL FIRE. HE WAS FLYING AT THE TIME. HE TURNED CTL OF THE ACFT TO ME AND ALSO ATC COM WHILE HE AND THE SO COMPLETED THE CHKLIST. WHILE DRIFTING DOWN, FLYING THE ACFT, NAVING AND TALKING TO ATC I TUNED IN MEM VOR AND IT SHOWED 185 NM, WHICH I PASSED ON TO THE CAPT. HE SAID 'TELL CTR WE WANT TO GO TO MEM.' ACTUALLY, WE WERE ABOUT 285 NM FROM MEM (MY FAULT). THE CAPT TALKED TO DISPATCH, AND THE 4 CONSIDERED HAVING US LAND AT BNA, BUT DECIDED TO SEND US ON TO MEM WHERE WE HAVE A HUB AND SPARE PLANES AND MAINT. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT MEM IN GOOD WX ABOUT 40 MINS LATER. POINT OF THIS FILING: REPEAT WRITE-UPS CAUSING INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN. DIVERSIONS IN 3 ENG ACFT WITH 1 SHUTDOWN. HOW FAR CAN YOU LEGALLY FLY? SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 296801: A FALSE WARNING HAD OCCURRED IRONICALLY ON THE SAME FLT SEGMENT FROM DFW TO TPA (ON THAT FLT THE CREW CONTINUED ON TO THE DEST CITY OF TPA). I CAREFULLY VIEWED ALL OTHER ENG GAUGES, EGT, OIL TEMP, AFT LOWER BODY AND STRUT OVERHEAT LIGHTS NOT ILLUMINATED, GOOD OIL PRESSURE, ETC, AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS WARNING ALSO HAD A HIGH PROBABILITY OF BEING FALSE. THE CREW CONTINUED THE EMER PROC BY SHUTTING DOWN THE #2 ENG. WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF OUR COMPANY DISPATCH WE DID A PRECAUTIONARY DIVERT TO OUR COMPANY'S HUB STATION WHICH WAS NOT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT AS FARS ALLOW IN THE CASE OF 3 OR MORE ENGINED ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 296449: DECLARED EMER. LANDED MEM, NO PROBS TAXI TO GATE. AFTER 2 1/2 HRS MAINT STILL COULD NOT FIND PROB.

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.