In-flight engine shutdown.

Attributes
ACN	317033
Time
Date	199509
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 : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	317033
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Due to loss of oil, I had to shut down #1 engine. Continued to destination for normal landing. However, decision to not divert, while perfectly legal, was difficult due to concerns about being 'second guessed' by FAA. Dispatch said to continue, maintenance control said to divert to maintenance station, fleet manager said to divert to nearest suitable. I am confident I made the proper decision, but it was made very difficult due to crew concerns about the very punitive, 'out to get you' attitude of the FAA, rather than just doing what was best. I truly feel that fear of the FAA attitude is a very significant safety factor, shared by all professional pilots. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the B727-200. This trip was from fll to dtw. There was dissension in the cockpit with 1 crew person wanting to land now, another at a more suitable airport, and the reporting captain wanting to go on to their destination. 'The engine failure was the least of our problems' with all of the discussion between the flight crew and ground personnel and differing opinions. The FAA's 'incredibly punitive attitude' caused most of the dissension. The captain is sure that he did the right thing in continuing to dtw and this is borne out by the fact that he has heard nothing from the FAA or his air carrier. The reporter declared an emergency nearing dtw and had to 'demand' runway 21R, the longest at dtw. 'What? Isn't 10000 ft (of runway 21L) enough for you?' was the attitude of the dtw approach controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN.

Narrative: DUE TO LOSS OF OIL, I HAD TO SHUT DOWN #1 ENG. CONTINUED TO DEST FOR NORMAL LNDG. HOWEVER, DECISION TO NOT DIVERT, WHILE PERFECTLY LEGAL, WAS DIFFICULT DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT BEING 'SECOND GUESSED' BY FAA. DISPATCH SAID TO CONTINUE, MAINT CTL SAID TO DIVERT TO MAINT STATION, FLEET MGR SAID TO DIVERT TO NEAREST SUITABLE. I AM CONFIDENT I MADE THE PROPER DECISION, BUT IT WAS MADE VERY DIFFICULT DUE TO CREW CONCERNS ABOUT THE VERY PUNITIVE, 'OUT TO GET YOU' ATTITUDE OF THE FAA, RATHER THAN JUST DOING WHAT WAS BEST. I TRULY FEEL THAT FEAR OF THE FAA ATTITUDE IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT SAFETY FACTOR, SHARED BY ALL PROFESSIONAL PLTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE B727-200. THIS TRIP WAS FROM FLL TO DTW. THERE WAS DISSENSION IN THE COCKPIT WITH 1 CREW PERSON WANTING TO LAND NOW, ANOTHER AT A MORE SUITABLE ARPT, AND THE RPTING CAPT WANTING TO GO ON TO THEIR DEST. 'THE ENG FAILURE WAS THE LEAST OF OUR PROBS' WITH ALL OF THE DISCUSSION BTWN THE FLC AND GND PERSONNEL AND DIFFERING OPINIONS. THE FAA'S 'INCREDIBLY PUNITIVE ATTITUDE' CAUSED MOST OF THE DISSENSION. THE CAPT IS SURE THAT HE DID THE RIGHT THING IN CONTINUING TO DTW AND THIS IS BORNE OUT BY THE FACT THAT HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE FAA OR HIS ACR. THE RPTR DECLARED AN EMER NEARING DTW AND HAD TO 'DEMAND' RWY 21R, THE LONGEST AT DTW. 'WHAT? ISN'T 10000 FT (OF RWY 21L) ENOUGH FOR YOU?' WAS THE ATTITUDE OF THE DTW APCH CTLR.

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.