Captain in right seat of atx air ambulance inadvertently caused left engine to shut down. Unable to ...

Attributes
ACN	180391
Time
Date	199106
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bvl
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13200 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 2339 flight time type : 1169
ASRS Report	180391
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were climbing out of slc direct bvl, out of approximately 14000', cleared to FL180. The copilot was flying the aircraft and noticed a fluctuation in the left engine egt. I reached over to turn off momentarily the srl (single red line) computer on the left side to check its operation and effect on the egt reading. Instead, I inadvertently turned the left rcs (run, crank, stop) switch to stop. The left engine consequently quit. We did an engine shutdown and feather procedure to secure the engine. We had to cool the engine to less that 200 degrees to restart, then restart. This takes a little time. Meanwhile: since we were no longer climbing, I asked center for 14000'. We were unable to maintain 14000', so at approximately 13500' I asked for 12000'. Center was unable 12000' or 13000' because of traffic. At approximately 13200 or 13300' or so I informed center that we had lost an engine and would need lower and I suggested VFR, since we were in VMC. We got it restarted and climbing again at about 13000'. We were again cleared to FL180. Contributing factors: low recent flying time in the aircraft. The srl and rcs switches are identical switches, only the srl switch is red. I was sitting on the right side (a position I had not recently been in) as my copilot had a left seat authority/authorized. When I situation on the left the rcs switches are blocked by the power levers from my view, so the srl's are the only ones I see. So I was not as careful as I should have been about making sure I was flipping the correct switch. I probably had other things distracting my mind. I should have informed ATC sooner of my inability to maintain altitude, before the deviation occurred. Why did I wait? I think the adversarial attitude of the FAA is a contributing factor. I wanted to get the engine started and the aircraft climbing west/O admitting I had made a mistake. Like many pilots, I am afraid the FAA will take my license the first chance they get.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT IN RIGHT SEAT OF ATX AIR AMBULANCE INADVERTENTLY CAUSED LEFT ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN. UNABLE TO HOLD ALT OF 14000'. DRIFTED DOWN BUT CENTER UNABLE TO CLEAR A LOWER ALT. RESTARTED THE ENGINE AT APPROX 13000' MSL AND CLIMBED BACK TO 14000'.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING OUT OF SLC DIRECT BVL, OUT OF APPROX 14000', CLRED TO FL180. THE COPLT WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND NOTICED A FLUCTUATION IN THE LEFT ENG EGT. I REACHED OVER TO TURN OFF MOMENTARILY THE SRL (SINGLE RED LINE) COMPUTER ON THE LEFT SIDE TO CHK ITS OPERATION AND EFFECT ON THE EGT READING. INSTEAD, I INADVERTENTLY TURNED THE LEFT RCS (RUN, CRANK, STOP) SWITCH TO STOP. THE LEFT ENG CONSEQUENTLY QUIT. WE DID AN ENG SHUTDOWN AND FEATHER PROC TO SECURE THE ENG. WE HAD TO COOL THE ENG TO LESS THAT 200 DEGS TO RESTART, THEN RESTART. THIS TAKES A LITTLE TIME. MEANWHILE: SINCE WE WERE NO LONGER CLBING, I ASKED CENTER FOR 14000'. WE WERE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 14000', SO AT APPROX 13500' I ASKED FOR 12000'. CENTER WAS UNABLE 12000' OR 13000' BECAUSE OF TFC. AT APPROX 13200 OR 13300' OR SO I INFORMED CENTER THAT WE HAD LOST AN ENG AND WOULD NEED LOWER AND I SUGGESTED VFR, SINCE WE WERE IN VMC. WE GOT IT RESTARTED AND CLBING AGAIN AT ABOUT 13000'. WE WERE AGAIN CLRED TO FL180. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LOW RECENT FLYING TIME IN THE ACFT. THE SRL AND RCS SWITCHES ARE IDENTICAL SWITCHES, ONLY THE SRL SWITCH IS RED. I WAS SITTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE (A POS I HAD NOT RECENTLY BEEN IN) AS MY COPLT HAD A LEFT SEAT AUTH. WHEN I SIT ON THE LEFT THE RCS SWITCHES ARE BLOCKED BY THE PWR LEVERS FROM MY VIEW, SO THE SRL'S ARE THE ONLY ONES I SEE. SO I WAS NOT AS CAREFUL AS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT MAKING SURE I WAS FLIPPING THE CORRECT SWITCH. I PROBABLY HAD OTHER THINGS DISTRACTING MY MIND. I SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ATC SOONER OF MY INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALT, BEFORE THE DEVIATION OCCURRED. WHY DID I WAIT? I THINK THE ADVERSARIAL ATTITUDE OF THE FAA IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. I WANTED TO GET THE ENG STARTED AND THE ACFT CLBING W/O ADMITTING I HAD MADE A MISTAKE. LIKE MANY PLTS, I AM AFRAID THE FAA WILL TAKE MY LICENSE THE FIRST CHANCE THEY GET.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Captain in right seat of atx air ambulance inadvertently caused left engine to shut down. Unable to hold altitude of 14000'. Drifted down but center unable to clear a lower altitude. Restarted the engine at approximately 13000' MSL and climbed back to 14000'.