A B747-400 IN CRUISE AT FL390 DIVERTED DUE TO #2 ENG FLAMED OUT WITH NO RESTART AND TRAILING FUEL. CAUSED BY A FAILED FUEL CTL UNIT.

Narrative

DURING A PRODUCTION FIRST FLT ON A B747-400; WHILE CRUISING AT FL390; THE #2 ENG FLAMED OUT DUE TO AN INTERNAL FAULT OF THE ELECTRONIC ENG CTL. DURING ENG FAILURE CHKLIST PROCS; IT WAS NOTED THAT THE #2 FUEL FLOW INDICATED 16000 LBS PER HR FUEL FLOW WITH THE ENG SHUTDOWN. THE #2 FIRE SWITCH WAS PULLED; BUT THE FUEL FLOW REMAINED. VISUAL OBSERVATION CONFIRMED UNBURNED FUEL EXITING THE #2 ENG AREA. THE #2 FUEL XFEED AND FUEL BOOST PUMPS WERE THEN TURNED OFF; AND THE FUEL FLOW FROM #2 ENG STOPPED. AT THIS POINT; WE BELIEVED THAT THE FUEL LINE TO THE #2 ENG WAS LIKELY DISCONNECTED OR RUPTURED AHEAD OF THE SPAR AND ENG FUEL SHUTOFF VALVES. WE WERE APPROX 150 MI FROM OUR DEP POINT. AT FL390 A NORMAL DSCNT WOULD REQUIRE APPROX 120 NM; SO A RETURN TO THE SEATTLE AREA SEEMED BEST. I DECIDED NOT TO LAND AT SEA ARPT OR BFI DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FUEL LEAK AND THE HAZARD THAT MIGHT POSE TO THOSE DENSELY POPULATED SURROUNDING AREAS. I FELT THAT AN OVER-WATER APCH TO PAINE FIELD AND THE GND SUPPORT THERE PRESENTED THE BEST OPTION FOR RECOVERY OF THE AIRPLANE. IT WAS ON THIS BASIS THAT I CHOSE TO RETURN TO PAINE FIELD AS THE 'NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT;' RATHER THAN LNDG AT PDX; WHICH WAS PHYSICALLY THE CLOSEST WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED.