Narrative:

Suspected bird strike #3 engine. Just after takeoff from BBB, engine #3 had noticeable vibration with oil quantity fluctuation. After 2 hours oil loss at rate of 1.2 gallons per hour was evident. When oil quantity dropped to zero, engine #3 was precautionary shut down, at AC48Z. Continued to ZZZ or xyz due to WX conditions at CCC. CCC reporting strong gusty xwinds. A planned restart was planned and we got approval for continuation to ZZZ, japan. Emergency was declared to eance ARTCC and was canceled after engine was restarted in descent for arrival to ZZZ. Dispatch and maintenance control were not a great help as information was late and sometimes wrong. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the vibration was noted after takeoff from BBB. The vibration was not too noticeable when the engine was set at 87% N2. After his bunk period of 2.5 hours, reporter noted oil quantity dropping. Company was contacted and a forecast of zero oil quantity in 3 hours was passed on to air carrier dispatch. CCC, the diversion airport, was experiencing winds from the north at 35 KTS gusting to 60 KTS. Decision made for ZZZ. New flight plan requested. Flight plan delayed in transmission until it was 1 hour old when received. Air carrier maintenance department asked them to swap oil quantity gauges, which they did. Was not a gauge problem. When engine oil showed zero, the engine was idled. About 1.5 hours later, the pressure fluctuated and engine shut down. PIC declared emergency. No altitude changes necessary. Emergency canceled with xyz control when #3 engine restarted at air carrier maintenance request. They did not want any incidents on approaching ZZZ airport. Request was for 'cosmetic' and political reasons. Approach made with #2 and #3 engines at idle, using #1 and #4 engine.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-200 OVERWATER FLT CONTINUATION TO NRT AFTER INFLT SHUTDOWN OF #3 ENG.

Narrative: SUSPECTED BIRD STRIKE #3 ENG. JUST AFTER TKOF FROM BBB, ENG #3 HAD NOTICEABLE VIBRATION WITH OIL QUANTITY FLUCTUATION. AFTER 2 HRS OIL LOSS AT RATE OF 1.2 GALLONS PER HR WAS EVIDENT. WHEN OIL QUANTITY DROPPED TO ZERO, ENG #3 WAS PRECAUTIONARY SHUT DOWN, AT AC48Z. CONTINUED TO ZZZ OR XYZ DUE TO WX CONDITIONS AT CCC. CCC RPTING STRONG GUSTY XWINDS. A PLANNED RESTART WAS PLANNED AND WE GOT APPROVAL FOR CONTINUATION TO ZZZ, JAPAN. EMER WAS DECLARED TO EANCE ARTCC AND WAS CANCELED AFTER ENG WAS RESTARTED IN DSCNT FOR ARR TO ZZZ. DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL WERE NOT A GREAT HELP AS INFO WAS LATE AND SOMETIMES WRONG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE VIBRATION WAS NOTED AFTER TKOF FROM BBB. THE VIBRATION WAS NOT TOO NOTICEABLE WHEN THE ENG WAS SET AT 87% N2. AFTER HIS BUNK PERIOD OF 2.5 HRS, RPTR NOTED OIL QUANTITY DROPPING. COMPANY WAS CONTACTED AND A FORECAST OF ZERO OIL QUANTITY IN 3 HRS WAS PASSED ON TO ACR DISPATCH. CCC, THE DIVERSION ARPT, WAS EXPERIENCING WINDS FROM THE N AT 35 KTS GUSTING TO 60 KTS. DECISION MADE FOR ZZZ. NEW FLT PLAN REQUESTED. FLT PLAN DELAYED IN XMISSION UNTIL IT WAS 1 HR OLD WHEN RECEIVED. ACR MAINT DEPT ASKED THEM TO SWAP OIL QUANTITY GAUGES, WHICH THEY DID. WAS NOT A GAUGE PROB. WHEN ENG OIL SHOWED ZERO, THE ENG WAS IDLED. ABOUT 1.5 HRS LATER, THE PRESSURE FLUCTUATED AND ENG SHUT DOWN. PIC DECLARED EMER. NO ALT CHANGES NECESSARY. EMER CANCELED WITH XYZ CTL WHEN #3 ENG RESTARTED AT ACR MAINT REQUEST. THEY DID NOT WANT ANY INCIDENTS ON APCHING ZZZ ARPT. REQUEST WAS FOR 'COSMETIC' AND POLITICAL REASONS. APCH MADE WITH #2 AND #3 ENGS AT IDLE, USING #1 AND #4 ENG.

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.