Narrative:

We were in a descent from FL340 to FL080 and assigned to maintain a minimum descent rate of 2;500 feet per minute by ATC. At approximately FL250; the left engine flamed out. There were no external signs (bangs; surges; stalls; etc.) to indicate the flameout; but the left generator tripped and we got the associated EICAS cautions and alerts. This was followed by the oil pressure falling briefly into the red band; which caused a master warning. The aircraft was descending through clear air at flight idle when the event occurred. We executed and completed the engine failure checklist; and based upon our determination that the flameout was not the result of a surge; stall or other internal or external damage; and because all engine indications were normal; we attempted to restart the engine. The engine was restarted without complication on the first attempt; and functioned normally throughout the approach and landing. We landed without incident and the entire event from flameout to relight took only three or four minutes. The aircraft remained in the same configuration (flight idle descent) and flight path. Normal engine operation was restored at approximately FL120. We are not sure why the event occurred. The only EICAS message which remained on the status page was the left engine lp pump message. The maintenance staff is still researching it. The crew executed both the engine failure checklist and the in-flight engine start checklist and successfully restored the normal operation of the engine. We landed at the nearest suitable airport which happened to be our destination. We were within 20 NM of the destination airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 flight crew experienced left engine flameout in descent; they noted no other abnormalities and a relight was successful.

Narrative: We were in a descent from FL340 to FL080 and assigned to maintain a minimum descent rate of 2;500 feet per minute by ATC. At approximately FL250; the left engine flamed out. There were no external signs (bangs; surges; stalls; etc.) to indicate the flameout; but the left generator tripped and we got the associated EICAS cautions and alerts. This was followed by the oil pressure falling briefly into the red band; which caused a master warning. The aircraft was descending through clear air at flight idle when the event occurred. We executed and completed the engine failure Checklist; and based upon our determination that the flameout was not the result of a surge; stall or other internal or external damage; and because all engine indications were normal; we attempted to restart the engine. The engine was restarted without complication on the first attempt; and functioned normally throughout the approach and landing. We landed without incident and the entire event from flameout to relight took only three or four minutes. The aircraft remained in the same configuration (flight idle descent) and flight path. Normal engine operation was restored at approximately FL120. We are not sure why the event occurred. The only EICAS message which remained on the status page was the L ENG LP PUMP message. The maintenance staff is still researching it. The crew executed both the engine failure checklist and the in-flight engine start checklist and successfully restored the normal operation of the engine. We landed at the nearest suitable airport which happened to be our destination. We were within 20 NM of the destination airport.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.