Erratic fuel flow followed by engine failure on switching tanks.

Attributes
ACN	231487
Time
Date	199301
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ilc
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc tower : ewr
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	231487
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

A thorough preflight was conducted at wmc and takeoff, climb were uneventful. After leveling off at FL250 aircraft was configured for cruise. Approximately 1 hour into flight left engine showed evidence of vapor lock, fuel contamination by erratic fuel flow. Boost pumps were placed in low position. At this time, the auxiliary tanks were being used. After about 5 min and several indications of erratic fuel flow on left engine, the main tanks were selected, left first. Upon selection of right main tank the right engine quit. Outside air temperature -- 30 degrees C. Advanced mixtures slightly. Double checked boost pumps low. Called center advised them of situation. Upon descending thru 23500 emergency was declared and attempted to feather propeller. Propeller did not feather. Double checked control was past detent confirmed. While descending through approximately FL180 with propeller windmilling and all switches still on engine started outside air temperature approximately -20 degrees C. Leveled at 16000 ft and continued flight to sdl based on reports of WX conditions at alternates along route. Flight was completed without further incident except failure of RNAV equipment. Suspect icing of fuel system caused engine failure although no water was observed in preflight. Temperature conditions at time of preflight approximately 31 degrees F. Note: feather check conducted in runup checked normal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRATIC FUEL FLOW FOLLOWED BY ENG FAILURE ON SWITCHING TANKS.

Narrative: A THOROUGH PREFLT WAS CONDUCTED AT WMC AND TKOF, CLB WERE UNEVENTFUL. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT FL250 ACFT WAS CONFIGURED FOR CRUISE. APPROX 1 HR INTO FLT L ENG SHOWED EVIDENCE OF VAPOR LOCK, FUEL CONTAMINATION BY ERRATIC FUEL FLOW. BOOST PUMPS WERE PLACED IN LOW POS. AT THIS TIME, THE AUX TANKS WERE BEING USED. AFTER ABOUT 5 MIN AND SEVERAL INDICATIONS OF ERRATIC FUEL FLOW ON L ENG, THE MAIN TANKS WERE SELECTED, L FIRST. UPON SELECTION OF R MAIN TANK THE R ENG QUIT. OUTSIDE AIR TEMP -- 30 DEGS C. ADVANCED MIXTURES SLIGHTLY. DOUBLE CHKED BOOST PUMPS LOW. CALLED CTR ADVISED THEM OF SIT. UPON DSNDING THRU 23500 EMER WAS DECLARED AND ATTEMPTED TO FEATHER PROP. PROP DID NOT FEATHER. DOUBLE CHKED CTL WAS PAST DETENT CONFIRMED. WHILE DSNDING THROUGH APPROX FL180 WITH PROP WINDMILLING AND ALL SWITCHES STILL ON ENG STARTED OUTSIDE AIR TEMP APPROX -20 DEGS C. LEVELED AT 16000 FT AND CONTINUED FLT TO SDL BASED ON RPTS OF WX CONDITIONS AT ALTERNATES ALONG RTE. FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT EXCEPT FAILURE OF RNAV EQUIP. SUSPECT ICING OF FUEL SYS CAUSED ENG FAILURE ALTHOUGH NO WATER WAS OBSERVED IN PREFLT. TEMP CONDITIONS AT TIME OF PREFLT APPROX 31 DEGS F. NOTE: FEATHER CHK CONDUCTED IN RUNUP CHKED NORMAL.

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.