Failure of the left engine gear box resulting in loss of oil and unable to feather propeller.

Attributes
ACN	220010
Time
Date	199208
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cha
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl tracon : cha
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 197 flight time total : 3234 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	220010
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 622
ASRS Report	220011
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On scheduled flight from bna to atl in cruise at 15000 ft VFR/clear. About 30 NM south of cha the left propeller psi went to full maximum. As we were consulting our QRH (quick reference handbook) the left engine/gear box started to fail. 'The engine rolled back with yaw.' we then secured the engine but the propeller failed to feather. During all this we declared an emergency and started a turn and descent towards cha. On the descent I tried to manual feather which had no effect. The propeller had 'pitch locked' when we lost all gear box oil as we later found out. (There was a 4 inch crack in the box). Now the good part -- as we were handed over to cha approach -- the controller asked us if we could take turns for traffic! (We were lined up 20 mi out for runway 2 cha!) we said no, then he asked if we could expedite our descent! At this time the traffic came on and said he would keep out of our way! We landed on runway 2 and taxied to the gate without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAILURE OF THE L ENG GEAR BOX RESULTING IN LOSS OF OIL AND UNABLE TO FEATHER PROP.

Narrative: ON SCHEDULED FLT FROM BNA TO ATL IN CRUISE AT 15000 FT VFR/CLR. ABOUT 30 NM S OF CHA THE L PROP PSI WENT TO FULL MAX. AS WE WERE CONSULTING OUR QRH (QUICK REF HANDBOOK) THE L ENG/GEAR BOX STARTED TO FAIL. 'THE ENG ROLLED BACK WITH YAW.' WE THEN SECURED THE ENG BUT THE PROP FAILED TO FEATHER. DURING ALL THIS WE DECLARED AN EMER AND STARTED A TURN AND DSCNT TOWARDS CHA. ON THE DSCNT I TRIED TO MANUAL FEATHER WHICH HAD NO EFFECT. THE PROP HAD 'PITCH LOCKED' WHEN WE LOST ALL GEAR BOX OIL AS WE LATER FOUND OUT. (THERE WAS A 4 INCH CRACK IN THE BOX). NOW THE GOOD PART -- AS WE WERE HANDED OVER TO CHA APCH -- THE CTLR ASKED US IF WE COULD TAKE TURNS FOR TFC! (WE WERE LINED UP 20 MI OUT FOR RWY 2 CHA!) WE SAID NO, THEN HE ASKED IF WE COULD EXPEDITE OUR DSCNT! AT THIS TIME THE TFC CAME ON AND SAID HE WOULD KEEP OUT OF OUR WAY! WE LANDED ON RWY 2 AND TAXIED TO THE GATE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.