B767 crew had fuel control lever lock switch bumped to the cutoff position.

Attributes
ACN	469880
Time
Date	200004
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eham.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ehaa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	469880
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Level at FL280 340 KIAS -- clear, smooth. Explaining a point to the first officer during a line check, I touched the right fuel shutoff switch with the side of my hand. The switch began to move to the shutoff position. The right engine began to roll back in RPM. Immediate return of switch to run recovered engine instantly. No ignition was on, so I believe we caught it before flameout. This switch is a lever lock switch and should never have moved with a light touch. We contacted our dispatch and maintenance and decided to continue with a logbook write-up and inspection scheduled at destination. Rest of trip was routine. I believed that the cause of this was the fuel control switch did not seat in the lever lock detent when placed to 'on' during start. It was held in the run position by friction between the ramp leading up to the detent and the locking pin which is spring-loaded. I don't know why this happened since this was the same way I have started these engines for 12 yrs. Corrective action: I think this is the second event of this type our airline has experienced. In the last yr, a sunshade fell down knocking one of these switches off, shutting down the engine. This never made sense until you view it in relation to this event. Since redesign of the switch is probably out of the question, I would emphasize to all to be very positive in checking these switches are locked in the 'on' position after start.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CREW HAD FUEL CTL LEVER LOCK SWITCH BUMPED TO THE CUTOFF POS.

Narrative: LEVEL AT FL280 340 KIAS -- CLR, SMOOTH. EXPLAINING A POINT TO THE FO DURING A LINE CHK, I TOUCHED THE R FUEL SHUTOFF SWITCH WITH THE SIDE OF MY HAND. THE SWITCH BEGAN TO MOVE TO THE SHUTOFF POS. THE R ENG BEGAN TO ROLL BACK IN RPM. IMMEDIATE RETURN OF SWITCH TO RUN RECOVERED ENG INSTANTLY. NO IGNITION WAS ON, SO I BELIEVE WE CAUGHT IT BEFORE FLAMEOUT. THIS SWITCH IS A LEVER LOCK SWITCH AND SHOULD NEVER HAVE MOVED WITH A LIGHT TOUCH. WE CONTACTED OUR DISPATCH AND MAINT AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE WITH A LOGBOOK WRITE-UP AND INSPECTION SCHEDULED AT DEST. REST OF TRIP WAS ROUTINE. I BELIEVED THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS WAS THE FUEL CTL SWITCH DID NOT SEAT IN THE LEVER LOCK DETENT WHEN PLACED TO 'ON' DURING START. IT WAS HELD IN THE RUN POS BY FRICTION BTWN THE RAMP LEADING UP TO THE DETENT AND THE LOCKING PIN WHICH IS SPRING-LOADED. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED SINCE THIS WAS THE SAME WAY I HAVE STARTED THESE ENGS FOR 12 YRS. CORRECTIVE ACTION: I THINK THIS IS THE SECOND EVENT OF THIS TYPE OUR AIRLINE HAS EXPERIENCED. IN THE LAST YR, A SUNSHADE FELL DOWN KNOCKING ONE OF THESE SWITCHES OFF, SHUTTING DOWN THE ENG. THIS NEVER MADE SENSE UNTIL YOU VIEW IT IN RELATION TO THIS EVENT. SINCE REDESIGN OF THE SWITCH IS PROBABLY OUT OF THE QUESTION, I WOULD EMPHASIZE TO ALL TO BE VERY POSITIVE IN CHKING THESE SWITCHES ARE LOCKED IN THE 'ON' POS AFTER START.

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.