Narrative:

Conducting rvsm flight test at FL380; experience engine flameout on #2 engine. Advised ATC of engine failure and requested descent to FL250 for engine relight. ATC assigned us FL350 and heading of 270 degrees. During the descent ATC assigned us direct abc descent to FL240. During the descent through FL270 the controller told us to descend to FL230 and expedite through FL240. We requested FL310. The controller cleared us to 10000 ft then he reclred us to 11000 ft. We leveled off between FL240 and FL250 briefly to relight the #2 engine for less than 1 min. The controller then assigned us FL240. I wanted clarification what altitude we should be at. The copilot asked for FL310. There was no response from ATC. Then a new voice came on from ATC and said descend and maintain FL240 immediately. We descended from FL255 to FL240 in less than 20 seconds. ATC then cleared us to 10000 ft. The rest of the flight was normal. The contributing factors that led to this were as follows: the first thing was the fact that we were distraction by the engine failure and did not declare an emergency when we should have. I assumed ATC understood that engine failure is an emergency. Second we had a flight test engineer trying to talk to us while we were trying to fly the aircraft; get the engine started; and talk to ATC; and comply with their instructions. Third; I was confused about what the controller wanted us to do. Then there was no response from ATC; so I held my heading and altitude until the supervisor came on and told us what to do. All of these factors led to a communication breakdown; and due to the fact that I was unsure of what altitude ATC wanted me at; I did nothing but maintain my altitude at FL255 and stayed on my current heading because I was not clear on what ATC wanted me to do and I figured that if I am between flight levels I would not fly into anyone.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DA20 ON ENGINEERING FLT LOSES RIGHT ENGINE AT FL380. COMMUNICATION CONFUSION DURING RECOVERY RESULTS IN ALT DEVS AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF SEPARATION.

Narrative: CONDUCTING RVSM FLT TEST AT FL380; EXPERIENCE ENG FLAMEOUT ON #2 ENG. ADVISED ATC OF ENG FAILURE AND REQUESTED DSCNT TO FL250 FOR ENG RELIGHT. ATC ASSIGNED US FL350 AND HDG OF 270 DEGS. DURING THE DSCNT ATC ASSIGNED US DIRECT ABC DSCNT TO FL240. DURING THE DSCNT THROUGH FL270 THE CTLR TOLD US TO DSND TO FL230 AND EXPEDITE THROUGH FL240. WE REQUESTED FL310. THE CTLR CLRED US TO 10000 FT THEN HE RECLRED US TO 11000 FT. WE LEVELED OFF BTWN FL240 AND FL250 BRIEFLY TO RELIGHT THE #2 ENG FOR LESS THAN 1 MIN. THE CTLR THEN ASSIGNED US FL240. I WANTED CLARIFICATION WHAT ALT WE SHOULD BE AT. THE COPLT ASKED FOR FL310. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM ATC. THEN A NEW VOICE CAME ON FROM ATC AND SAID DSND AND MAINTAIN FL240 IMMEDIATELY. WE DSNDED FROM FL255 TO FL240 IN LESS THAN 20 SECONDS. ATC THEN CLRED US TO 10000 FT. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT LED TO THIS WERE AS FOLLOWS: THE FIRST THING WAS THE FACT THAT WE WERE DISTR BY THE ENG FAILURE AND DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE. I ASSUMED ATC UNDERSTOOD THAT ENG FAILURE IS AN EMER. SECOND WE HAD A FLT TEST ENGINEER TRYING TO TALK TO US WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO FLY THE ACFT; GET THE ENG STARTED; AND TALK TO ATC; AND COMPLY WITH THEIR INSTRUCTIONS. THIRD; I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT THE CTLR WANTED US TO DO. THEN THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM ATC; SO I HELD MY HDG AND ALT UNTIL THE SUPVR CAME ON AND TOLD US WHAT TO DO. ALL OF THESE FACTORS LED TO A COM BREAKDOWN; AND DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS UNSURE OF WHAT ALT ATC WANTED ME AT; I DID NOTHING BUT MAINTAIN MY ALT AT FL255 AND STAYED ON MY CURRENT HDG BECAUSE I WAS NOT CLR ON WHAT ATC WANTED ME TO DO AND I FIGURED THAT IF I AM BTWN FLT LEVELS I WOULD NOT FLY INTO ANYONE.

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.