An small transport diverted to an alternate when it ran a fuel tank dry and feathered an engine.

Attributes
ACN	257825
Time
Date	199311
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mia airport : opf
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : opf artcc : zmp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 2360 flight time type : 360
ASRS Report	257825
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Left engine failed in-flight while being vectored by approach for landing at mia. A descent was made to runway 27R at opa locka. I was unable to xfeed to restart. Did not try for long and maintenance estimated that, since the engine pump had cavitated, it would take a little longer to fill the line than I gave it. Since I was near the point of landing I elected not to continue to try to start and feathered the engine. I attempted to start it again by xfeed to the right side after the landing without placing the right auxiliary pump to the high position. I was unable to start it. Once at the ramp it was started by xfeed and use of high setting of auxiliary pump to prime the engine. The left main tank was found to be out of gas. The fuel indicator indicated 12 plus gallons of fuel at takeoff. This was consistent with what was expected to be in the tank. It had been topped and flown 2 hours since. Fuel burn of 35 gallons was expected out of 50 gallons, given that there were a couple of takeoffs, a reading of 75 pounds was expected and accepted as correct. The flight was from fll to mia, normally requiring 0.2 hours (0.2 X 200 pounds per hour) and should use 40-50 pounds. The aircraft had 150 in the mains per gauges.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMT DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE WHEN IT RAN A FUEL TANK DRY AND FEATHERED AN ENG.

Narrative: L ENG FAILED INFLT WHILE BEING VECTORED BY APCH FOR LNDG AT MIA. A DSCNT WAS MADE TO RWY 27R AT OPA LOCKA. I WAS UNABLE TO XFEED TO RESTART. DID NOT TRY FOR LONG AND MAINT ESTIMATED THAT, SINCE THE ENG PUMP HAD CAVITATED, IT WOULD TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO FILL THE LINE THAN I GAVE IT. SINCE I WAS NEAR THE POINT OF LNDG I ELECTED NOT TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO START AND FEATHERED THE ENG. I ATTEMPTED TO START IT AGAIN BY XFEED TO THE R SIDE AFTER THE LNDG WITHOUT PLACING THE R AUX PUMP TO THE HIGH POS. I WAS UNABLE TO START IT. ONCE AT THE RAMP IT WAS STARTED BY XFEED AND USE OF HIGH SETTING OF AUX PUMP TO PRIME THE ENG. THE L MAIN TANK WAS FOUND TO BE OUT OF GAS. THE FUEL INDICATOR INDICATED 12 PLUS GALLONS OF FUEL AT TKOF. THIS WAS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WAS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE TANK. IT HAD BEEN TOPPED AND FLOWN 2 HRS SINCE. FUEL BURN OF 35 GALLONS WAS EXPECTED OUT OF 50 GALLONS, GIVEN THAT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF TKOFS, A READING OF 75 LBS WAS EXPECTED AND ACCEPTED AS CORRECT. THE FLT WAS FROM FLL TO MIA, NORMALLY REQUIRING 0.2 HRS (0.2 X 200 LBS PER HR) AND SHOULD USE 40-50 LBS. THE ACFT HAD 150 IN THE MAINS PER GAUGES.

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.