The #3 engine on a B727-200 shut down during pushback due to fuel starvation at ZZZ, us.

Attributes
ACN	554182
Time
Date	200207
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time total : 3100
ASRS Report	554182
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : gnd 4
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : unable other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Flight engineer panel, fuel shutoff switch is configured in form of a guarded switch. Switch is not visible since it is guarded. This is the only aircraft in this confign in our air carrier fleet. During pushback phase (not under ship power but being pushed by push tug), engine #3 was started, spooled up, starter cut out at 40%, start valve closed accordingly, ran for approximately 5 seconds, then spooled down. Troubleshot according to cockpit operations manual where this switch is not mentioned and contacted maintenance. Maintenance could not find/explain problem initially either, so we changed planes at the gate. Later, maintenance found guarded toggle switch for engine #3 in off position. Flight took off in orderly manner, eventless. Due to the initial event, flight was delayed approximately 1 hour 15 mins, returned 1/2 hour prior to estimated arrival time without any problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE #3 ENG ON A B727-200 SHUT DOWN DURING PUSHBACK DUE TO FUEL STARVATION AT ZZZ, US.

Narrative: FE PANEL, FUEL SHUTOFF SWITCH IS CONFIGURED IN FORM OF A GUARDED SWITCH. SWITCH IS NOT VISIBLE SINCE IT IS GUARDED. THIS IS THE ONLY ACFT IN THIS CONFIGN IN OUR ACR FLEET. DURING PUSHBACK PHASE (NOT UNDER SHIP PWR BUT BEING PUSHED BY PUSH TUG), ENG #3 WAS STARTED, SPOOLED UP, STARTER CUT OUT AT 40%, START VALVE CLOSED ACCORDINGLY, RAN FOR APPROX 5 SECONDS, THEN SPOOLED DOWN. TROUBLESHOT ACCORDING TO COCKPIT OPS MANUAL WHERE THIS SWITCH IS NOT MENTIONED AND CONTACTED MAINT. MAINT COULD NOT FIND/EXPLAIN PROB INITIALLY EITHER, SO WE CHANGED PLANES AT THE GATE. LATER, MAINT FOUND GUARDED TOGGLE SWITCH FOR ENG #3 IN OFF POS. FLT TOOK OFF IN ORDERLY MANNER, EVENTLESS. DUE TO THE INITIAL EVENT, FLT WAS DELAYED APPROX 1 HR 15 MINS, RETURNED 1/2 HR PRIOR TO ESTIMATED ARR TIME WITHOUT ANY PROBS.

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.