ENG FLAME OUT AT 39000 FT.

Narrative

ENG FLAMEOUT AT FL390. AT APPROX 100 MI S OF MIA; AT FL390 #2 FUEL TANK FILL VALVE WAS DETERMINED TO BE INOP. OFF-SCHEDULE WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED. ATTEMPTED TO RE- BALANCE FUEL TANKS IN MANUAL WITH NO SUCCESS. (ALL XFEEDS OPEN); #2 ENG FLAMED OUT; AND A DSCNT COMMENCED HAVANA CTL NOTIFIED; AND AN EMER WAS DECLARED. ENG WAS RE- STARTED; AND A LEVELOFF MADE AT FL310. NORMAL LNDG MADE AT MIA WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: 'THEY DON'T KNOW WHY THE ENG FLAMED OUT;' SAYS THE RPTR. IT IS HIS UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ENG; AIRFRAME; AND FUEL CTLR MANUFACTURERS ALL HAVE THIS INFO. THE RPTR ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS SAME OCCURRENCE HAPPENED TO A MANUFACTURER'S ACFT ON A TEST FLT. THE RPTR WAS ON A REST BREAK WHEN THE FUEL FILL VALVE ACTED UP. HE RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT WHEN THE CHK AIRMAN AND FO WERE IN THE PROCESS OF SOLVING THIS PROB BY GOING TO 'MANUAL' FUEL CTL. THE ENG QUIT WITH NO WARNING. THE AUTOMATIC FUEL FILL VALVE CAME BACK ON LINE WHILE ACFT WAS ON APCH TO MIA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO FROM 303856: THE RPTR; A CHK AIRMAN; STATES THAT FAILURE WAS RELATED TO FSC (FUEL SYS CTLR). THE FLC RECEIVED AN ALERT MESSAGE ON THE EAD; IT WAS A 'FUEL SCHEDULE WARNING.' THE #2 ENG WAS NOT RECEIVING FUEL; IT WAS 2000 LBS LOWER THAN TANKS #1 AND #3. THE FILL VALVE WAS NOT WORKING. THE MD11 DRIFTED DOWN TO FL310 WHEN THE ENG FAILED. THE FLC DID DECLARE AN EMER DURING DSCNT FROM FL390. ALL XFEEDS OPEN AND RESTART ACCOMPLISHED AT FL310. RPTR WAS OUT OF THE LOOP FOR APPROX 15 MINS; WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROB WITH COMPANY MAINT. FSC WAS REPLACED BY MAINT.