Narrative:

We were at cruise level 37 degrees. A status message came up that said right engine oil filter clog and bypass. We looked up the appropriate checklist and accomplished all items including shut down of right engine. Declared an emergency and diverted to nearest suitable airport (boston). The copilot and I decided what to do together and here is the problem. Both of us did not realize a 'status' message is advisory only. This message did not come up on EICAS. We subsequently learned that 'status' and 'EICAS' are to be treated differently, but because we saw this as a serious problem we, together, knew we would not cross the atlantic with this impending problem. Since we believed the checklist we followed directions. We called maintenance on satcom and they thought it was a faulty switch, but advised we should take the safest course of action. I did not want to shut down the engine, but was convinced by the first officer because of the checklist. This CRM stuff has diluted the captain's authority/authorized to the point that my 32 yrs of experience was overridden. Also the confusion of 'status' and 'EICAS' was a problem. Since I learned the difference I never would have shut down the engine, but would have diverted. We were lead along by the serious nature of the checklist and should have known that the flight manual spells out the difference between 'status' and 'EICAS.' we as a crew just didn't remember. I think this difference should be practiced during proficiency checks. We could have done a better job if we remembered the difference between 'status' and 'EICAS.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated both crew members did not realize the difference between a 'status' message and an 'EICAS' message. The reporter said both crew members were sent to refresher training on the action required with the different messages.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 IN CRUISE AT FL370 DECLARES AN EMER AND DIVERTS DUE TO A FILTER CLOG STATUS MESSAGE ON #2 ENG.

Narrative: WE WERE AT CRUISE LEVEL 37 DEGS. A STATUS MESSAGE CAME UP THAT SAID R ENG OIL FILTER CLOG AND BYPASS. WE LOOKED UP THE APPROPRIATE CHKLIST AND ACCOMPLISHED ALL ITEMS INCLUDING SHUT DOWN OF R ENG. DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT (BOSTON). THE COPLT AND I DECIDED WHAT TO DO TOGETHER AND HERE IS THE PROB. BOTH OF US DID NOT REALIZE A 'STATUS' MESSAGE IS ADVISORY ONLY. THIS MESSAGE DID NOT COME UP ON EICAS. WE SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THAT 'STATUS' AND 'EICAS' ARE TO BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY, BUT BECAUSE WE SAW THIS AS A SERIOUS PROB WE, TOGETHER, KNEW WE WOULD NOT CROSS THE ATLANTIC WITH THIS IMPENDING PROB. SINCE WE BELIEVED THE CHKLIST WE FOLLOWED DIRECTIONS. WE CALLED MAINT ON SATCOM AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A FAULTY SWITCH, BUT ADVISED WE SHOULD TAKE THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION. I DID NOT WANT TO SHUT DOWN THE ENG, BUT WAS CONVINCED BY THE FO BECAUSE OF THE CHKLIST. THIS CRM STUFF HAS DILUTED THE CAPT'S AUTH TO THE POINT THAT MY 32 YRS OF EXPERIENCE WAS OVERRIDDEN. ALSO THE CONFUSION OF 'STATUS' AND 'EICAS' WAS A PROB. SINCE I LEARNED THE DIFFERENCE I NEVER WOULD HAVE SHUT DOWN THE ENG, BUT WOULD HAVE DIVERTED. WE WERE LEAD ALONG BY THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THE CHKLIST AND SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THE FLT MANUAL SPELLS OUT THE DIFFERENCE BTWN 'STATUS' AND 'EICAS.' WE AS A CREW JUST DIDN'T REMEMBER. I THINK THIS DIFFERENCE SHOULD BE PRACTICED DURING PROFICIENCY CHKS. WE COULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB IF WE REMEMBERED THE DIFFERENCE BTWN 'STATUS' AND 'EICAS.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED BOTH CREW MEMBERS DID NOT REALIZE THE DIFFERENCE BTWN A 'STATUS' MESSAGE AND AN 'EICAS' MESSAGE. THE RPTR SAID BOTH CREW MEMBERS WERE SENT TO REFRESHER TRAINING ON THE ACTION REQUIRED WITH THE DIFFERENT MESSAGES.

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.