A beech 1900D at cruise declared an emergency and diverted due to #2 engine turbine bearing failure.

Attributes
ACN	377828
Time
Date	199703
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fnt
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	377828
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Right engine power turbine bearing failed immediately after cruise leveloff at FL230. Performed emergency memory items and propeller feathered. Declared emergency and diverted to fnt, the nearest airport in point of time. All checks (normal, abnormal, and emergency) were performed and a normal landing ensued. I'm reporting this primarily because there were prior indications of impending failure. Upon first flight of the day, preflight revealed a scraping/grinding noise. Maintenance explained this was probably normal blade to shroud wear. If within temperature limits ok to go. 2 legs later, after sounding worse still but within temperature limits, the engine seized.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BEECH 1900D AT CRUISE DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO #2 ENG TURBINE BEARING FAILURE.

Narrative: R ENG PWR TURBINE BEARING FAILED IMMEDIATELY AFTER CRUISE LEVELOFF AT FL230. PERFORMED EMER MEMORY ITEMS AND PROP FEATHERED. DECLARED EMER AND DIVERTED TO FNT, THE NEAREST ARPT IN POINT OF TIME. ALL CHKS (NORMAL, ABNORMAL, AND EMER) WERE PERFORMED AND A NORMAL LNDG ENSUED. I'M RPTING THIS PRIMARILY BECAUSE THERE WERE PRIOR INDICATIONS OF IMPENDING FAILURE. UPON FIRST FLT OF THE DAY, PREFLT REVEALED A SCRAPING/GRINDING NOISE. MAINT EXPLAINED THIS WAS PROBABLY NORMAL BLADE TO SHROUD WEAR. IF WITHIN TEMP LIMITS OK TO GO. 2 LEGS LATER, AFTER SOUNDING WORSE STILL BUT WITHIN TEMP LIMITS, THE ENG SEIZED.

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.