DC10-40 flight crew has compressor stall at top of descent. Engine shutdown.

Attributes
ACN	334597
Time
Date	199604
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zjx
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 39000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 40
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	334597
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Shortly after initiating descent out of FL390 the #2 engine compressor stalled and was shut down in order to prevent an overtemp. We followed the 'top of descent' procedures for the DC10 (continuous ignition, engine anti-ice, and fuel heat on) prior to starting the descent. But this did not prevent the compressor stall. The first officer flew the aircraft while the captain and so ran the engine restart checklist and other related procedures. The engine restarted and operated normally the rest of the flight. This is a problem (I should say -- not uncommon) in the DC10. High altitude top of descent compressor stalls. Our simulator training and our company's emphasis on CRM allowed us to operate together as a crew very smoothly, everyone knew their job and responsibilities due to the level of standardization our company requires/teaches. Although I read a lot about CRM I'd like to stress the importance of standardization of flight crew procedures and tasks. It's a great comfort to know exactly what everyone will and should do in a given circumstance and not have to guess what someone's own personal technique might be. This applies to both normal and abnormal sits.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10-40 FLC HAS COMPRESSOR STALL AT TOP OF DSCNT. ENG SHUTDOWN.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER INITIATING DSCNT OUT OF FL390 THE #2 ENG COMPRESSOR STALLED AND WAS SHUT DOWN IN ORDER TO PREVENT AN OVERTEMP. WE FOLLOWED THE 'TOP OF DSCNT' PROCS FOR THE DC10 (CONTINUOUS IGNITION, ENG ANTI-ICE, AND FUEL HEAT ON) PRIOR TO STARTING THE DSCNT. BUT THIS DID NOT PREVENT THE COMPRESSOR STALL. THE FO FLEW THE ACFT WHILE THE CAPT AND SO RAN THE ENG RESTART CHKLIST AND OTHER RELATED PROCS. THE ENG RESTARTED AND OPERATED NORMALLY THE REST OF THE FLT. THIS IS A PROB (I SHOULD SAY -- NOT UNCOMMON) IN THE DC10. HIGH ALT TOP OF DSCNT COMPRESSOR STALLS. OUR SIMULATOR TRAINING AND OUR COMPANY'S EMPHASIS ON CRM ALLOWED US TO OPERATE TOGETHER AS A CREW VERY SMOOTHLY, EVERYONE KNEW THEIR JOB AND RESPONSIBILITIES DUE TO THE LEVEL OF STANDARDIZATION OUR COMPANY REQUIRES/TEACHES. ALTHOUGH I READ A LOT ABOUT CRM I'D LIKE TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF STANDARDIZATION OF FLC PROCS AND TASKS. IT'S A GREAT COMFORT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT EVERYONE WILL AND SHOULD DO IN A GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCE AND NOT HAVE TO GUESS WHAT SOMEONE'S OWN PERSONAL TECHNIQUE MIGHT BE. THIS APPLIES TO BOTH NORMAL AND ABNORMAL SITS.

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.