Narrative:

Departed south lake tahoe at approximately XA30 on an IFR flight plan to smx. Flight plan route: .lin.V113 mqo. Smx altitude 170. Leveling at assigned cruise altitude at approximately XB15 PST the left engine developed a noticeable vibration, RPM dropped to approximately 1200 RPM and mp dropped to approximately 22 hg. Response to this situation was the following: I richened left engine mixture, positioned left auxiliary fuel pump to high position, isolated left engine magnetos, and engaged fuel xfeed. None of the above actions eliminated or reduced the above described situation. At this time the left engine was secured as per the appropriate checklist. Advised oak center of the situation and stated my intentions to continue to my destination to smx. Subsequently I received clearance to descend to a lower altitude. Final level off was accomplished at 8000 ft MSL. Approaching destination airport and in contact with vandenburg approach control I was vectored for the VOR runway 12 approach. The approach was executed in a clean confign as dictated by performance constraints. On final approach at approximately 800 AGL, landing gear was selected to the down position. No down and locked landing gear indications were observed. Due to existing atmospheric turbulence the gear was not felt to extend. At this time, emergency landing gear extension procedures were initiated. Again, no down and locked indications visible. Airspeed was approximately 120 KTS at this point. Power was applied to the right engine and a rotation to the best single engine. Rate of climb speed (111 KTS) was initiated. Resultant rate of climb was approximately 100 FPM. Recognizing that performance was inadequate to continue a go around, the decision was made to land the aircraft on the airport perimeter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: L ENG FAILED UPON REACHING CRUISE ALT. FLT WAS CONTINUED TO DISTANT DEST AND UNABLE TO EXTEND GEAR. LANDED ONE HALF MI SHORT OF RWY.

Narrative: DEPARTED S LAKE TAHOE AT APPROX XA30 ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO SMX. FLT PLAN RTE: .LIN.V113 MQO. SMX ALT 170. LEVELING AT ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT AT APPROX XB15 PST THE L ENG DEVELOPED A NOTICEABLE VIBRATION, RPM DROPPED TO APPROX 1200 RPM AND MP DROPPED TO APPROX 22 HG. RESPONSE TO THIS SITUATION WAS THE FOLLOWING: I RICHENED L ENG MIXTURE, POSITIONED L AUX FUEL PUMP TO HIGH POS, ISOLATED L ENG MAGNETOS, AND ENGAGED FUEL XFEED. NONE OF THE ABOVE ACTIONS ELIMINATED OR REDUCED THE ABOVE DESCRIBED SITUATION. AT THIS TIME THE L ENG WAS SECURED AS PER THE APPROPRIATE CHKLIST. ADVISED OAK CTR OF THE SITUATION AND STATED MY INTENTIONS TO CONTINUE TO MY DEST TO SMX. SUBSEQUENTLY I RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO A LOWER ALT. FINAL LEVEL OFF WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT 8000 FT MSL. APCHING DEST ARPT AND IN CONTACT WITH VANDENBURG APCH CTL I WAS VECTORED FOR THE VOR RWY 12 APCH. THE APCH WAS EXECUTED IN A CLEAN CONFIGN AS DICTATED BY PERFORMANCE CONSTRAINTS. ON FINAL APCH AT APPROX 800 AGL, LNDG GEAR WAS SELECTED TO THE DOWN POS. NO DOWN AND LOCKED LNDG GEAR INDICATIONS WERE OBSERVED. DUE TO EXISTING ATMOSPHERIC TURB THE GEAR WAS NOT FELT TO EXTEND. AT THIS TIME, EMER LNDG GEAR EXTENSION PROCS WERE INITIATED. AGAIN, NO DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATIONS VISIBLE. AIRSPD WAS APPROX 120 KTS AT THIS POINT. PWR WAS APPLIED TO THE R ENG AND A ROTATION TO THE BEST SINGLE ENG. RATE OF CLB SPD (111 KTS) WAS INITIATED. RESULTANT RATE OF CLB WAS APPROX 100 FPM. RECOGNIZING THAT PERFORMANCE WAS INADEQUATE TO CONTINUE A GAR, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND THE ACFT ON THE ARPT PERIMETER.

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.