An MD-82 flight crew suffered a flameout on initial climb; apparently the result of the fuel shut off lever failing to latch securely in the run detent after engine start. Maintenance subsequently determined the failure was the result of a fatigued latching spring.
Synopsis
An MD-82 flight crew suffered a flameout on initial climb; apparently the result of the fuel shut off lever failing to latch securely in the run detent after engine start. Maintenance subsequently determined the failure was the result of a fatigued latching spring.
Narrative
After takeoff at 400 FT the left engine flamed out. The First Officer continued the climb on the SID for cleanup; while I declared an emergency with the Tower. They responded offering any runway; as weather was clear and winds were only 4 KTS and provided vectors for a visual to the longest runway. I ran the engine failure checklist; briefed the flight attendants; and notified company. We were also in contact with crash fire rescue on a discrete frequency.The First Officer made a smooth overweight landing with a near zero vertical velocity indication and I taxied off the runway. We had crash fire rescue follow us to the gate as the brakes were heating up. At the gate fans were applied and brakes cooled; as the overheat light had come on at 300 degrees. On taxi in; the First Officer noticed that the left fuel lever was only half way up to the run position. We were sure that it was all the way up after start. Maintenance investigation determined that the fuel lever spring was worn and would not lock into position without extra manipulation.
NASA callback
Reporter advised the narrative was misleading in that they never completed the in-flight shut down portion of the checklists prior to their nearly immediate landing. As a result; the fuel lever was in the 'halfway' position solely as a result of the initial failure mode which caused the flame out. When asked if he or the mechanic were aware of any previous examples of this failure; he said the Mechanic hadn't mentioned it but that during his last recurrent training session they discussed an apparently identical situation that occurred in the past year on an MD80 at cruise altitude. It was addressed as part of a 'what would you have done' scenario wherein the flight crew on that occasion restarted the engine and completed the flight. The cause of the failure was exactly the same; the fuel lever coming out of the run detent and migrating downward until the fuel to the engine was shut off. The discussion did not specifically point at a fatigued spring but the reporter felt; in part because of the age of the fleet; that the spring was a likely culprit.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.