Inadvertent engine shutdown during climb.

Attributes
ACN	298023
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fof airport : mkpb
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 24000
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : mkpb
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	298023
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	298024
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

This was the first flight of the day and flight engineer had done an origination preflight. During climb through FL240, 30 NM south of fof, the #3 engine flamed out. Accomplished engine failure precautionary shutdown checklist. When we got to the step to turn off the #3 engine fuel shutoff switch, we saw that it was already closed. We suspected a problem with this switch which had been cycled during the preflight check. Prior to the failure, the flight engineer had not reconfigured the fuel panel since cleanup after takeoff and he was looking forward and not touching the flight engineer panel when the engine failed. After observing N1 and N2 rotation, good oil pressure and temperature, we restarted the engine using the in-flight restart checklist. Engine restarted normally. With all system reinstated to normal and engines running normally, I decided to continue towards sju. Mia was destination. The alternative was to divert to fof, but I decided not to do that because we had 3 good engines. I was unfamiliar with fof. We were over weight for landing. No WX for there and we were in a non radar area. Because all was operating normally and the problem did not reoccur, we continued to destination. There were many suitable alternates along the way to mia where we planned to divert if necessary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INADVERTENT ENG SHUTDOWN DURING CLB.

Narrative: THIS WAS THE FIRST FLT OF THE DAY AND FE HAD DONE AN ORIGINATION PREFLT. DURING CLB THROUGH FL240, 30 NM SOUTH OF FOF, THE #3 ENG FLAMED OUT. ACCOMPLISHED ENG FAILURE PRECAUTIONARY SHUTDOWN CHKLIST. WHEN WE GOT TO THE STEP TO TURN OFF THE #3 ENG FUEL SHUTOFF SWITCH, WE SAW THAT IT WAS ALREADY CLOSED. WE SUSPECTED A PROB WITH THIS SWITCH WHICH HAD BEEN CYCLED DURING THE PREFLT CHK. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE FE HAD NOT RECONFIGURED THE FUEL PANEL SINCE CLEANUP AFTER TKOF AND HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD AND NOT TOUCHING THE FE PANEL WHEN THE ENG FAILED. AFTER OBSERVING N1 AND N2 ROTATION, GOOD OIL PRESSURE AND TEMP, WE RESTARTED THE ENG USING THE INFLT RESTART CHKLIST. ENG RESTARTED NORMALLY. WITH ALL SYS REINSTATED TO NORMAL AND ENGS RUNNING NORMALLY, I DECIDED TO CONTINUE TOWARDS SJU. MIA WAS DEST. THE ALTERNATIVE WAS TO DIVERT TO FOF, BUT I DECIDED NOT TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE HAD 3 GOOD ENGS. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH FOF. WE WERE OVER WT FOR LNDG. NO WX FOR THERE AND WE WERE IN A NON RADAR AREA. BECAUSE ALL WAS OPERATING NORMALLY AND THE PROB DID NOT REOCCUR, WE CONTINUED TO DEST. THERE WERE MANY SUITABLE ALTERNATES ALONG THE WAY TO MIA WHERE WE PLANNED TO DIVERT IF NECESSARY.

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.