Engine flameout upon reaching cruise altitude FL410.

Attributes
ACN	94791
Time
Date	198809
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crl
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 41000 msl bound upper : 41000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 85
ASRS Report	94791
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Just after reaching 41.0 #4 engine flamed out (heavy transport). Immediate actions did not restart engine. No immediate problem, very light weight, VFR, etc. Discussed with our dispatch and elected best suitable airport, under the conditions was ord. Re-routed with ATC. Performed relight (normal) on descent. Rest of flight uneventful. This aircraft (heavy transport) with these engines seems to have this problem. (Other carriers too). It is not an isolated event. It was a 'book' scenario. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Had encountered no icing or cloud conditions on climb out. Claims this type of flameout has happened to his company on the type engine several times. No explanation from company reference his incident. When the aircraft descended below FL250 a successful relight was accomplished. Normal landing at ord.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE FLAMEOUT UPON REACHING CRUISE ALT FL410.

Narrative: JUST AFTER REACHING 41.0 #4 ENG FLAMED OUT (HVT). IMMEDIATE ACTIONS DID NOT RESTART ENG. NO IMMEDIATE PROBLEM, VERY LIGHT WEIGHT, VFR, ETC. DISCUSSED WITH OUR DISPATCH AND ELECTED BEST SUITABLE ARPT, UNDER THE CONDITIONS WAS ORD. RE-ROUTED WITH ATC. PERFORMED RELIGHT (NORMAL) ON DSCNT. REST OF FLT UNEVENTFUL. THIS ACFT (HVT) WITH THESE ENGS SEEMS TO HAVE THIS PROB. (OTHER CARRIERS TOO). IT IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT. IT WAS A 'BOOK' SCENARIO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. HAD ENCOUNTERED NO ICING OR CLOUD CONDITIONS ON CLBOUT. CLAIMS THIS TYPE OF FLAMEOUT HAS HAPPENED TO HIS COMPANY ON THE TYPE ENG SEVERAL TIMES. NO EXPLANATION FROM COMPANY REFERENCE HIS INCIDENT. WHEN THE ACFT DSNDED BELOW FL250 A SUCCESSFUL RELIGHT WAS ACCOMPLISHED. NORMAL LNDG AT ORD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.