Commuter has power loss on left engine during approach. Feathered engine, landed.

Attributes
ACN	229173
Time
Date	199212
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	229173
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While descending for a visual to 9R mia, flaps 45 degrees, gear down, 20 inches manifold pressure, 140 KTS on small transport, my left engine lost power. There was a confirmed 20 gallons in each tank. I was high and in a good position to land so I did the memory items for engine failure and feathered the left engine, declared an emergency, called for rescue equipment (3 passenger on board), and landed without event. I taxied the aircraft to our maintenance ramp where our director of maintenance and our FAA pmi along with me started the process of determining what happened. The only conclusion agreed on was the steep descent and 20 gallons in each tank. Left only 1 fuel tank pickup covered with gas. If the forward pickup in the left tank was clogged then of course the engine fails. My decision to feather was based on the fact that I had altitude and position for an easy landing at mia. I did not want to waste a precious moment running restart checklist when the aircraft could be landed safely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER HAS PWR LOSS ON L ENG DURING APCH. FEATHERED ENG, LANDED.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING FOR A VISUAL TO 9R MIA, FLAPS 45 DEGS, GEAR DOWN, 20 INCHES MANIFOLD PRESSURE, 140 KTS ON SMT, MY L ENG LOST PWR. THERE WAS A CONFIRMED 20 GALLONS IN EACH TANK. I WAS HIGH AND IN A GOOD POS TO LAND SO I DID THE MEMORY ITEMS FOR ENG FAILURE AND FEATHERED THE L ENG, DECLARED AN EMER, CALLED FOR RESCUE EQUIP (3 PAX ON BOARD), AND LANDED WITHOUT EVENT. I TAXIED THE ACFT TO OUR MAINT RAMP WHERE OUR DIRECTOR OF MAINT AND OUR FAA PMI ALONG WITH ME STARTED THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING WHAT HAPPENED. THE ONLY CONCLUSION AGREED ON WAS THE STEEP DSCNT AND 20 GALLONS IN EACH TANK. LEFT ONLY 1 FUEL TANK PICKUP COVERED WITH GAS. IF THE FORWARD PICKUP IN THE L TANK WAS CLOGGED THEN OF COURSE THE ENG FAILS. MY DECISION TO FEATHER WAS BASED ON THE FACT THAT I HAD ALT AND POS FOR AN EASY LNDG AT MIA. I DID NOT WANT TO WASTE A PRECIOUS MOMENT RUNNING RESTART CHKLIST WHEN THE ACFT COULD BE LANDED SAFELY.

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.