Southern Air B-747/200 "Precuationary Engine Shutdown"

[CANOPUS]

Saturday 10 October 2009 2pm local time (0500z) ICN Korea

Southern Air Transport B-747/200 Frieghter requests vectors for landing at ICN Incheon Seoul, Korea for landing. Reason was due to a "precautionary engine shutdown" of the number 3 engine. Situation was handled well by crew, when requested whether or not they were declaring an emergency they declined. Aircraft landed at ICN without incident and emergency vehicles were not in attendance.

Question:

Does a precautionary engine shutdown mean that the engine was simply throttled back to idle or is it more of a pre-emptive complete shutdown of the engine in order to not further damage the engine or possibly have a parameter exceedence?

Many thanks. :ok:

[411A]

The latter scenario, IE, engine shutdown.
Done a few....a non event, on a three/four engine type.
Twin?
More of a hassle, nevertheless, easily managed, generally speaking.