An air carrier B747 flight crew has the #4 engine flameout when the so turns the boost pumps off wit...

Attributes
ACN	368699
Time
Date	199705
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sju
State Reference	PR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mjzs
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 164 flight time total : 26000 flight time type : 11900
ASRS Report	368699
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

#4 engine flamed out due to operator (flight engineer) error (#4 forward and aft boost pumps off, #4 xfeed closed). Flight engineer preoccupied with manual control of #3 pack (air-conditioning) -- due to automatic inoperative, close control of engine EPR due to crossing restr of 39000 ft at new york airspace boundary and fuel confign changes -- tank to engine at takeoff, #2 and #3 to all engines at 21.5 #1 and #4, back to tank to engine at 1+1R = 24.8 = 2, 4+4R = 3 = 24.8. Engine did not restart immediately using normal procedure, captain planned to return to sju instead of continuing to jfk, was so cleared and descended to 24000 ft. At 24000 ft, after 3 unsuccessful in-flight restart attempts using published procedure (#1 and #2 igniters on normal flight start switch), flight engineer used standby power (which fires #1 igniter) and engine restarted. Flight plan was then resumed with clearance to jfk and operated normally thereafter. First such error in this flight engineer's career spanning 36 yrs. Several devices available on later B747's, and for retrofit on this B747-131 model, would have helped: full flight regime autothrottle system (ffrats). Boost pump warning system (pressurization lights flash if boost pumps off and xfeed valve closed for same engine). Double backed check valves in middle of xfeed manifold to minimize fuel unbalance. Performance data computer, showing top of climb point for different weights, altitudes, temperatures. The flight engineer is concerned that the igniters on the normal flight start switch did not relight the engine, but that the standby power switch, not specifically mentioned in the restart procedure, did 'save the day.' ground start at sju 20 mins earlier (using same igniters and electrical buses) was normal. All buses remained powered at all times through the flight. The standby inverter apparently provided a slightly better spark to the #1 igniter, resulting in a successful restart at 24000 ft when the normal AC power sources did not do so.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B747 FLC HAS THE #4 ENG FLAMEOUT WHEN THE SO TURNS THE BOOST PUMPS OFF WITH THE XFEED CLOSED. FLC WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN A RELIGHT AT 24000 FT AND RESUME THEIR FLT.

Narrative: #4 ENG FLAMED OUT DUE TO OPERATOR (FE) ERROR (#4 FORWARD AND AFT BOOST PUMPS OFF, #4 XFEED CLOSED). FE PREOCCUPIED WITH MANUAL CTL OF #3 PACK (AIR-CONDITIONING) -- DUE TO AUTO INOP, CLOSE CTL OF ENG EPR DUE TO XING RESTR OF 39000 FT AT NEW YORK AIRSPACE BOUNDARY AND FUEL CONFIGN CHANGES -- TANK TO ENG AT TKOF, #2 AND #3 TO ALL ENGS AT 21.5 #1 AND #4, BACK TO TANK TO ENG AT 1+1R = 24.8 = 2, 4+4R = 3 = 24.8. ENG DID NOT RESTART IMMEDIATELY USING NORMAL PROC, CAPT PLANNED TO RETURN TO SJU INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO JFK, WAS SO CLRED AND DSNDED TO 24000 FT. AT 24000 FT, AFTER 3 UNSUCCESSFUL INFLT RESTART ATTEMPTS USING PUBLISHED PROC (#1 AND #2 IGNITERS ON NORMAL FLT START SWITCH), FE USED STANDBY PWR (WHICH FIRES #1 IGNITER) AND ENG RESTARTED. FLT PLAN WAS THEN RESUMED WITH CLRNC TO JFK AND OPERATED NORMALLY THEREAFTER. FIRST SUCH ERROR IN THIS FE'S CAREER SPANNING 36 YRS. SEVERAL DEVICES AVAILABLE ON LATER B747'S, AND FOR RETROFIT ON THIS B747-131 MODEL, WOULD HAVE HELPED: FULL FLT REGIME AUTOTHROTTLE SYS (FFRATS). BOOST PUMP WARNING SYS (PRESSURIZATION LIGHTS FLASH IF BOOST PUMPS OFF AND XFEED VALVE CLOSED FOR SAME ENG). DOUBLE BACKED CHK VALVES IN MIDDLE OF XFEED MANIFOLD TO MINIMIZE FUEL UNBALANCE. PERFORMANCE DATA COMPUTER, SHOWING TOP OF CLB POINT FOR DIFFERENT WTS, ALTS, TEMPS. THE FE IS CONCERNED THAT THE IGNITERS ON THE NORMAL FLT START SWITCH DID NOT RELIGHT THE ENG, BUT THAT THE STANDBY PWR SWITCH, NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THE RESTART PROC, DID 'SAVE THE DAY.' GND START AT SJU 20 MINS EARLIER (USING SAME IGNITERS AND ELECTRICAL BUSES) WAS NORMAL. ALL BUSES REMAINED POWERED AT ALL TIMES THROUGH THE FLT. THE STANDBY INVERTER APPARENTLY PROVIDED A SLIGHTLY BETTER SPARK TO THE #1 IGNITER, RESULTING IN A SUCCESSFUL RESTART AT 24000 FT WHEN THE NORMAL AC PWR SOURCES DID NOT DO SO.

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.

An air carrier B747 flight crew has the #4 engine flameout when the so turns the boost pumps off with the xfeed closed. Flight crew was able to obtain a relight at 24000 ft and resume their flight.