Narrative:

Upon gear retraction my duties require me to check gear and tail skid lights, and hydraulic pressures and quantities on the flight engineer's panel, check gear and door lights out on forward instruments panel. Upon returning my monitoring to engine instruments I noticed #3 engine EPR at 2.35 (maximum power for takeoff with engine a/I on was 2.18). I immediately readjusted the EPR to 2.18. As this was a 44 min flight we became very busy with departure and arrival duties, radio calls and checklists. Shortly after beginning descent I asked if anyone had seen how high the engine went (in reference to other parameters) both captain and first officer said no. The FAA inspector conducting line check said he saw 730 degrees centigrade on #3 egt (650 degrees maximum for takeoff). Although I found this difficult to believe I had no choice but to accept it. After engine was brought back to within normal takeoff EPR limits, it performed normally for remainder of flight. As I have almost 10 yrs of jet engine maintenance, and after discussions with company technicians, I still do not believe the engine reached 730 degrees centigrade. The company pulled the engine for maintenance as required, assuming it was actually overtemped. Upshot of this is: flight was continued with an engine that may have exceeded limitations, and maybe should have been shut down, and a return to departure airport executed.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B-727, ON A FRY FLT, OVERTEMPS ENG ON TKOF. COCKPIT COORD MGMNT SLIPPED.

Narrative: UPON GEAR RETRACTION MY DUTIES REQUIRE ME TO CHK GEAR AND TAIL SKID LIGHTS, AND HYD PRESSURES AND QUANTITIES ON THE FE'S PANEL, CHK GEAR AND DOOR LIGHTS OUT ON FORWARD INSTS PANEL. UPON RETURNING MY MONITORING TO ENG INSTS I NOTICED #3 ENG EPR AT 2.35 (MAX PWR FOR TKOF WITH ENG A/I ON WAS 2.18). I IMMEDIATELY READJUSTED THE EPR TO 2.18. AS THIS WAS A 44 MIN FLT WE BECAME VERY BUSY WITH DEP AND ARR DUTIES, RADIO CALLS AND CHKLISTS. SHORTLY AFTER BEGINNING DSCNT I ASKED IF ANYONE HAD SEEN HOW HIGH THE ENG WENT (IN REF TO OTHER PARAMETERS) BOTH CAPT AND FO SAID NO. THE FAA INSPECTOR CONDUCTING LINE CHK SAID HE SAW 730 DEGS CENTIGRADE ON #3 EGT (650 DEGS MAX FOR TKOF). ALTHOUGH I FOUND THIS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO ACCEPT IT. AFTER ENG WAS BROUGHT BACK TO WITHIN NORMAL TKOF EPR LIMITS, IT PERFORMED NORMALLY FOR REMAINDER OF FLT. AS I HAVE ALMOST 10 YRS OF JET ENG MAINT, AND AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH COMPANY TECHNICIANS, I STILL DO NOT BELIEVE THE ENG REACHED 730 DEGS CENTIGRADE. THE COMPANY PULLED THE ENG FOR MAINT AS REQUIRED, ASSUMING IT WAS ACTUALLY OVERTEMPED. UPSHOT OF THIS IS: FLT WAS CONTINUED WITH AN ENG THAT MAY HAVE EXCEEDED LIMITATIONS, AND MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN, AND A RETURN TO DEP ARPT EXECUTED.

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.