B767-300 and 300 ER
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 103; Flight Crew Total 14300; Flight Crew Type 323
Training / Qualification
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Dissipated; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Aircraft
On climb out; noticed aircraft was having difficulty climbing through 30;000 feet. Checked engine instruments and noticed that the right engine fuel flow was indicating 700 pounds/hour. Checked other engine indications and noticed that they were significantly below the left engine indications. Asked ATC to level off at FL350; then to descend to FL320. I was the pilot monitoring. Did not [request priority handling] at this time because we received NO EICAS messages or alerts telling us of this situation.After rechecking the engine instruments and conferring with the pilot flying; I made the decision to shut down the engine inflight via the QRH engine failure/shutdown checklist; and also made the decision that we would attempt to restart the engine because no limitations or engine parameters or engine vibrations were present or were exceeded. At this time we were about 20 minutes into the flight. So the inflight shutdown checklist was completed and the engine inflight start checklist was completed. The engine started and accelerated normally; remaining in all parameters and limitations.While the engine was 'warming up' I contacted dispatch and Maintenance Control on the SATCOM. After speaking with them and informing them of our situation and what transpired; I made the decision to continue to destination and received no guidance from Dispatch and Maintenance to proceed to any other airport for landing. As of this writing; I have spoken to two Assistant Chief Pilots about the situation and we discussed the flight; its procedures; and decisions and outcomes.
During climb out; approximately 20 minutes after departing; passing through FL300 on the way to FL360; I noticed a decrease in aircraft climb rate. As the pilot flying; I scanned the engine instruments and noticed the #2 (right) engine instrument readings were significantly less than the #1 engine. The #1 engine was not yet at its climb thrust limit. The most striking #2 engine reading parameter was fuel flow at 0.6 pounds/hour (600 pounds/hour). The Captain and I analyzed what we were observing as we slowly continued our climb. We initially requested to stop our climb at FL350; but later asked to descend to FL320 which we were able to maintain without difficulty. We tried moving the #2 throttle and determined that the engine was completely unresponsive to throttle movement. Fuel flow remained at 600 pounds/hour.Throughout the development of this engine issue; there were no EICAS messages of any kind; no annunciations; and no other lights or warnings. After further discussion; the Captain executed the QRH engine shutdown/failure checklist. When the fuel cutoff switch was actuated; the #2 engine instruments dropped as expected with fuel flow reading zero. After determining we were comfortably within the air start envelope and ascertaining there was no reason to not attempt a restart (no EICAS messages; no warnings; no seizure/fire; and no abnormal aircraft vibration); the Captain executed the QRH engine air start checklist. The #2 engine restarted normally and engine readings were normal. Engine performance was normal and the engine was completely responsive to throttle movement. No engine limits were ever exceeded.We corrected a fuel imbalance of about 1;200 pounds and fuel remained in balance the remainder of the flight. By this time we were at about the halfway point on our short flight to our destination. The Captain contacted our Dispatcher and discussed the issue with maintenance personnel. During a detailed conversation; there was never a suggestion by anyone to consider recovering the aircraft at an alternate destination. Because the restart was normal; because the aircraft was functioning normally; and after a thorough crew discussion; the Captain decided to continue as originally planned. At that time; after all checklists; communications; and coordination was completed; the initial fix to our arrival was visible on our HSI maps.Descent; ILS approach; and landing were uneventful. On the ground in Operations; the Captain spoke with two Assistant Chief Pilots (ACPs) about the malfunction and our handling of it. Had the restart not been successful; and if we were left with a single engine situation; I'm confident we would have considered an alternative suitable landing destination. The way the situation unfolded; we discussed recovering at an alternate airfield; but were convinced; upon regaining normal aircraft operation; continuing was a safe and viable option.
B767 flight crew reported poor climb performance passing FL300 and discovered the right engine to be at idle thrust. Thrust lever movement had no effect on thrust and it was decided to shut the engine down and restart it; which was done successfully. After restart the engine functioned normally.