An MU2 atx pilot continued to destination airport, atl, at night after his left engine fails at 1700...

Attributes
ACN	382703
Time
Date	199710
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	MU-2
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	382703
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At about AB40 on the night of oct/xa/97, I was in cruise flight at 17000 ft en route from mem to atl in an atx MU2 with cargo. I experienced engine failure of my #1 (left) engine. As I began to secure the engine and assess my situation, I advised center of my predicament. I began to lose some altitude and center asked if I wanted to declare an emergency. I declined but said I wanted to proceed toward birmingham. Center cleared me to a lower altitude. By the time I descended to 13000 ft, I got the aircraft cleaned up and found I could maintain altitude easily. As I got closer to birmingham I began to reconsider my options. Birmingham is in hilly to mountainous terrain and atl, being flatter with longer runways, not to mention being my original destination with the aircraft performing well on 1 engine, I reasoned I could proceed safely to atl. After advising center of my intentions, that is what I did, arriving in atl without further incident. As I review my decisions and actions, I now believe I made at least 2 errors in judgement. First I should have declared an emergency right away. I should have landed at birmingham instead of pressing on to atl. If something else had gone wrong between bhm and atl, I could have become a victim of get thereitis.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MU2 ATX PLT CONTINUED TO DEST ARPT, ATL, AT NIGHT AFTER HIS L ENG FAILS AT 17000 FT. HE HAD CONSIDERED A DIVERSION TO BHM BUT HIS OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS ALTERED THAT PLAN. IN ATL HE HAD MISGIVINGS RELATED TO HIS FLT PLANNING.

Narrative: AT ABOUT AB40 ON THE NIGHT OF OCT/XA/97, I WAS IN CRUISE FLT AT 17000 FT ENRTE FROM MEM TO ATL IN AN ATX MU2 WITH CARGO. I EXPERIENCED ENG FAILURE OF MY #1 (L) ENG. AS I BEGAN TO SECURE THE ENG AND ASSESS MY SIT, I ADVISED CTR OF MY PREDICAMENT. I BEGAN TO LOSE SOME ALT AND CTR ASKED IF I WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER. I DECLINED BUT SAID I WANTED TO PROCEED TOWARD BIRMINGHAM. CTR CLRED ME TO A LOWER ALT. BY THE TIME I DSNDED TO 13000 FT, I GOT THE ACFT CLEANED UP AND FOUND I COULD MAINTAIN ALT EASILY. AS I GOT CLOSER TO BIRMINGHAM I BEGAN TO RECONSIDER MY OPTIONS. BIRMINGHAM IS IN HILLY TO MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND ATL, BEING FLATTER WITH LONGER RWYS, NOT TO MENTION BEING MY ORIGINAL DEST WITH THE ACFT PERFORMING WELL ON 1 ENG, I REASONED I COULD PROCEED SAFELY TO ATL. AFTER ADVISING CTR OF MY INTENTIONS, THAT IS WHAT I DID, ARRIVING IN ATL WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AS I REVIEW MY DECISIONS AND ACTIONS, I NOW BELIEVE I MADE AT LEAST 2 ERRORS IN JUDGEMENT. FIRST I SHOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER RIGHT AWAY. I SHOULD HAVE LANDED AT BIRMINGHAM INSTEAD OF PRESSING ON TO ATL. IF SOMETHING ELSE HAD GONE WRONG BTWN BHM AND ATL, I COULD HAVE BECOME A VICTIM OF GET THEREITIS.

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.

An MU2 atx pilot continued to destination airport, atl, at night after his left engine fails at 17000 ft. He had considered a diversion to bhm but his operational considerations altered that plan. In atl he had misgivings related to his flight planning.