ACFT EQUIP PROB HIGH OIL TEMP ON ONE OF 3 ENGS.

Narrative

APPROX 1 HR AFTER TKOF; #2 ENG OIL TEMP WENT INTO CAUTION RANGE. RETARDED #2 THROTTLE TO APPROX MID-RANGE. TEMP WENT BACK TO GREEN ARC; THEN BACK TO CAUTION RANGE; THEN TO RED LINE. SHUTDOWN #2 ENG AS PER PLT'S OP MANUAL AND DIVERTED TO PHX. TIME IN CAUTION RANGE; APPROX 4 MIN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE B727-200 FOR A MAJOR ACR. HE DOES NOT REMEMBER WHY THE OIL TEMP GOT HOT; BUT KNOWS THAT IT WAS NOT A FALSE ALARM. THE ENG DID NOT LOSE OIL QUANTITY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 309734: DISCUSSION WITH DISPATCH LED TO A DECISION TO OVERFLY ABQ AND LAND AT DFW. E OF ABQ BROKEN LINES OF CUMULO NIMBUS AND NUMEROUS TWRING CUMULUS CLOUDS MADE CONTINUED EBOUND FLT LESS ATTRACTIVE AND A 180 DEG TURN WAS MADE. ABQ WAS DEEMED UNSUITABLE AND FLT CONTINUED WBOUND TO PHX; WHERE THE WX WAS NO FACTOR. CAPT'S PERFORMANCE WAS FREQUENTLY IMPAIRED BY HIS CONCERN OVER WHAT WAS 'LEGAL' AND HOW 'THIS WILL LOOK LATER ON.' THIS SEEMED TO BE HIS BIGGEST CONCERN. CREWS NEED TO BE FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH PROCS AND REGULATORY CONSTRAINTS SO THAT THEY CAN PERFORM SAFELY AND CONFIDENTLY; NOT IN CONSTANT FEAR THAT SOMETHING MIGHT NOT LOOK PERFECT LATER ON. PERHAPS IF THE FAA WAS LESS PEDANTIC AND RUTHLESS WITH ENFORCEMENT ACTION THIS WOULD CHANGE.