A DHC8-100 declared an emergency and diverted to orf due to #1 engine failure.

Attributes
ACN	363378
Time
Date	199703
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 300 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : orf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial other other
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	363378
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Departed runway 7 phf. At approximately 300 ft the #1 engine had a power loss of approximately 60%. The first officer was the PF. My initial thoughts were that we had an electric fuel control failure (however, the respective caution lights did not illuminate). The procedure for an ecu failure is to simply push that particular power lever forward to restore power. I did this, but did not regain takeoff power. We decided to handle this as an engine failure and secured #1 engine and declared an emergency to orf approach control. With the aircraft empty and cold night air the performance single-engine was excellent. We decided to land at orf instead of turning back to phf because phf tower had just closed, the crash fire rescue equipment facilities were not as readily available, orf was in sight, straight ahead. By the time we had finished with checklists and fully secured the #1 engine the distance to orf was about the same (10 mi).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DHC8-100 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO ORF DUE TO #1 ENG FAILURE.

Narrative: DEPARTED RWY 7 PHF. AT APPROX 300 FT THE #1 ENG HAD A PWR LOSS OF APPROX 60%. THE FO WAS THE PF. MY INITIAL THOUGHTS WERE THAT WE HAD AN ELECTRIC FUEL CTL FAILURE (HOWEVER, THE RESPECTIVE CAUTION LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE). THE PROC FOR AN ECU FAILURE IS TO SIMPLY PUSH THAT PARTICULAR PWR LEVER FORWARD TO RESTORE PWR. I DID THIS, BUT DID NOT REGAIN TKOF PWR. WE DECIDED TO HANDLE THIS AS AN ENG FAILURE AND SECURED #1 ENG AND DECLARED AN EMER TO ORF APCH CTL. WITH THE ACFT EMPTY AND COLD NIGHT AIR THE PERFORMANCE SINGLE-ENG WAS EXCELLENT. WE DECIDED TO LAND AT ORF INSTEAD OF TURNING BACK TO PHF BECAUSE PHF TWR HAD JUST CLOSED, THE CFR FACILITIES WERE NOT AS READILY AVAILABLE, ORF WAS IN SIGHT, STRAIGHT AHEAD. BY THE TIME WE HAD FINISHED WITH CHKLISTS AND FULLY SECURED THE #1 ENG THE DISTANCE TO ORF WAS ABOUT THE SAME (10 MI).

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.