Narrative:

While instructing a multi-engine instrument student in VFR conditions, we were working with chinook approach VFR. Upon reaching yakima VOR at 3500 ft MSL and entering holding, the left engine lost power. Immediately I took the controls and performed the appropriate responses for loss of engine power. With minor troubleshooting I noticed the left engine fuel selector in xfeed and the right engine on. The left engine fuel gauge was reading empty and the right gauge reading full. With consideration of altitude (below 3000 ft AGL), proximity to airport (5 mi) and limitations for xfeed operation (level flight only) I opted to feather the left engine and continue to yakima, VFR, for a single-engine landing. I declared an emergency with chinook approach and, using my student to operate the radios, we proceeded direct to yakima air terminal without further incident. This instruction was with another instructor's student for critique and proficiency. During the aircraft taxi-out and run-up I missed the student putting the fuel selectors back to 'on' during the before takeoff checklist. During my cruise scan and backup of student operation I did not see the left fuel gauge depleting due to the proximity of the gauge on the left side of the control yoke. Before takeoff and in cruise I did not notice the fuel selector in xfeed. In the yakima terminal area we had multiple distractions with other VFR aircraft and heavy aircraft in the radar pattern. The flight instructor should continuously back up the student at all times during flight operations, especially during the before takeoff checks. Advanced training instructors in multi-engine aircraft should be extremely proficient. My low experience with non multi-rated pilots contributed to the outcome. The student and instructor both learned very valuable lessons regarding checklist discipline and constant vigilance during all phases of aircraft operation. The student mentioned that his previous training was based on using instrument panel placarded before landing checklists. The aircraft checklist incorporates 'fuel selectors on' where as the instrument panel placard for the before landing checklist does not incorporate 'fuel selectors on.' I critiqued that after landing to use the checklist to back up. I have also been briefed by a designated examiner on the privileges of a multi-engine instructor without instrument privileges. I am now fully aware of my privileges even under VFR conditions and will comply with the privileges as outlined in crash fire rescue equipment 61.195(C).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR WITH INST STUDENT HAS LOSS OF PWR ON L ENG. EMER DECLARED ENG FEATHERED. SUCCESSFUL LNDG MADE.

Narrative: WHILE INSTRUCTING A MULTI-ENG INST STUDENT IN VFR CONDITIONS, WE WERE WORKING WITH CHINOOK APCH VFR. UPON REACHING YAKIMA VOR AT 3500 FT MSL AND ENTERING HOLDING, THE L ENG LOST PWR. IMMEDIATELY I TOOK THE CTLS AND PERFORMED THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSES FOR LOSS OF ENG PWR. WITH MINOR TROUBLESHOOTING I NOTICED THE L ENG FUEL SELECTOR IN XFEED AND THE R ENG ON. THE L ENG FUEL GAUGE WAS READING EMPTY AND THE R GAUGE READING FULL. WITH CONSIDERATION OF ALT (BELOW 3000 FT AGL), PROX TO ARPT (5 MI) AND LIMITATIONS FOR XFEED OP (LEVEL FLT ONLY) I OPTED TO FEATHER THE L ENG AND CONTINUE TO YAKIMA, VFR, FOR A SINGLE-ENG LNDG. I DECLARED AN EMER WITH CHINOOK APCH AND, USING MY STUDENT TO OPERATE THE RADIOS, WE PROCEEDED DIRECT TO YAKIMA AIR TERMINAL WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THIS INSTRUCTION WAS WITH ANOTHER INSTRUCTOR'S STUDENT FOR CRITIQUE AND PROFICIENCY. DURING THE ACFT TAXI-OUT AND RUN-UP I MISSED THE STUDENT PUTTING THE FUEL SELECTORS BACK TO 'ON' DURING THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST. DURING MY CRUISE SCAN AND BACKUP OF STUDENT OP I DID NOT SEE THE L FUEL GAUGE DEPLETING DUE TO THE PROX OF THE GAUGE ON THE L SIDE OF THE CTL YOKE. BEFORE TKOF AND IN CRUISE I DID NOT NOTICE THE FUEL SELECTOR IN XFEED. IN THE YAKIMA TERMINAL AREA WE HAD MULTIPLE DISTRACTIONS WITH OTHER VFR ACFT AND HVY ACFT IN THE RADAR PATTERN. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR SHOULD CONTINUOUSLY BACK UP THE STUDENT AT ALL TIMES DURING FLT OPS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE BEFORE TKOF CHKS. ADVANCED TRAINING INSTRUCTORS IN MULTI-ENG ACFT SHOULD BE EXTREMELY PROFICIENT. MY LOW EXPERIENCE WITH NON MULTI-RATED PLTS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OUTCOME. THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR BOTH LEARNED VERY VALUABLE LESSONS REGARDING CHKLIST DISCIPLINE AND CONSTANT VIGILANCE DURING ALL PHASES OF ACFT OP. THE STUDENT MENTIONED THAT HIS PREVIOUS TRAINING WAS BASED ON USING INST PANEL PLACARDED BEFORE LNDG CHKLISTS. THE ACFT CHKLIST INCORPORATES 'FUEL SELECTORS ON' WHERE AS THE INST PANEL PLACARD FOR THE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST DOES NOT INCORPORATE 'FUEL SELECTORS ON.' I CRITIQUED THAT AFTER LNDG TO USE THE CHKLIST TO BACK UP. I HAVE ALSO BEEN BRIEFED BY A DESIGNATED EXAMINER ON THE PRIVILEGES OF A MULTI-ENG INSTRUCTOR WITHOUT INST PRIVILEGES. I AM NOW FULLY AWARE OF MY PRIVILEGES EVEN UNDER VFR CONDITIONS AND WILL COMPLY WITH THE PRIVILEGES AS OUTLINED IN CFR 61.195(C).

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.