Narrative:

How to problem arose: shut down right engine due to fluctuating N3 and pneumatic surges. How it was discovered: first officer observed and brought it to my attention. Corrective actions: commanded completion of the engine shutdown checklist; descended to single engine altitude; declared an emergency; requested direct routing to ZZZ. Contributing factors: proximity to ETOPS exit point (past it and coasting in to ZZZ airspace). Proximity to ETOPS en route alternate. Human performance considerations -- perceptions/judgements/decisions: with given indications and lack of a definitive checklist to reference; the situation warranted a precautionary shutdown to prevent further damage or risk a possible catastrophic failure. Landing performance supported both runways. The decision to elect ZZZ airport in lieu of the closer ZZZ1 airport; ZZZ was only another approximately 7 mins flying time; runway length; more crash fire rescue equipment; medical support if needed; familiarity with the airport and geographical layout due to multiple operation in and out of ZZZ; the ability to restart the engine if in my judgement its start was required for safety of flight. Factors affecting human performance: had I been within ETOPS airspace when declaring an emergency; I would have been bound by company directive and far to divert to my ETOPS en route alternate; which had required crash fire rescue equipment; however; the runway was much shorter and the airport WX tends to be more volatile than ZZZ. A recipe for a possible mishap unless the PIC were to exercise emergency authority/authorized and divert to ZZZ and then find themselves under extreme scrutiny for making that decision.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 OVER THE OCEAN EXPERIENCES AN ENG FAILURE. THE FLT CREW SHUTS DOWN THE ENG; DECLARES AN EMER; AND LANDS AT THE ARPT BEST EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THE ACFT.

Narrative: HOW TO PROB AROSE: SHUT DOWN R ENG DUE TO FLUCTUATING N3 AND PNEUMATIC SURGES. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED: FO OBSERVED AND BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTN. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: COMMANDED COMPLETION OF THE ENG SHUTDOWN CHKLIST; DSNDED TO SINGLE ENG ALT; DECLARED AN EMER; REQUESTED DIRECT ROUTING TO ZZZ. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: PROX TO ETOPS EXIT POINT (PAST IT AND COASTING IN TO ZZZ AIRSPACE). PROX TO ETOPS ENRTE ALTERNATE. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS -- PERCEPTIONS/JUDGEMENTS/DECISIONS: WITH GIVEN INDICATIONS AND LACK OF A DEFINITIVE CHKLIST TO REF; THE SITUATION WARRANTED A PRECAUTIONARY SHUTDOWN TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE OR RISK A POSSIBLE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. LNDG PERFORMANCE SUPPORTED BOTH RWYS. THE DECISION TO ELECT ZZZ ARPT IN LIEU OF THE CLOSER ZZZ1 ARPT; ZZZ WAS ONLY ANOTHER APPROX 7 MINS FLYING TIME; RWY LENGTH; MORE CFR; MEDICAL SUPPORT IF NEEDED; FAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT AND GEOGRAPHICAL LAYOUT DUE TO MULTIPLE OP IN AND OUT OF ZZZ; THE ABILITY TO RESTART THE ENG IF IN MY JUDGEMENT ITS START WAS REQUIRED FOR SAFETY OF FLT. FACTORS AFFECTING HUMAN PERFORMANCE: HAD I BEEN WITHIN ETOPS AIRSPACE WHEN DECLARING AN EMER; I WOULD HAVE BEEN BOUND BY COMPANY DIRECTIVE AND FAR TO DIVERT TO MY ETOPS ENRTE ALTERNATE; WHICH HAD REQUIRED CFR; HOWEVER; THE RWY WAS MUCH SHORTER AND THE ARPT WX TENDS TO BE MORE VOLATILE THAN ZZZ. A RECIPE FOR A POSSIBLE MISHAP UNLESS THE PIC WERE TO EXERCISE EMER AUTH AND DIVERT TO ZZZ AND THEN FIND THEMSELVES UNDER EXTREME SCRUTINY FOR MAKING THAT DECISION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.