Originally Posted by
N1EPR
Sometime in the mid 1970s a PanAM 747 spent way too much time holding to get into JFK. He then diverted to EWR. Due to the complex traffic system in the New York area this 15 nm distance was extended to over 100 miles. Approaching EWR from the SW to land to the SW an engine flamed out. When the second engine flamed out they decided to land downwind to the NE and were cleared to do so. On approach the third engine flamed out. The fourth engine continued to run until he cleared the runway at the end, then flamed out.
When I taxied out shortly afterwards the plane still had not been towed in and it was truly an overwhelming sight.
Folks,
This and a number of essentially similar incidents over a relatively short time span resulted in Boeing publishing "Minimum fuel for approach" numbers for every type and variant.
It also resulted in ICAO introducing "fixed final reserve" into SARPs -- the minimum fuel in tanks on landing, enough to ensure all engines were still running ---- and a concept too many AU pilots dispute to this day.
Tootle pip!!