A PA 34 pilot on a night flight elected to continue to destination after loosing 1 of 2 engines.

Attributes
ACN	524160
Time
Date	200108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : l67.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	other
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-34-200T Turbo Seneca II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 105
ASRS Report	524160
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On august tue, 2001, I was pilot in command of a piper seneca ii on a pleasure trip en route from page, arizona to el monte, california. All appeared normal until after dagget VOR (approximately 2 hours into the flight), the right engine began loosing manifold pressure. All gauges were within normal oping limits. I assumed a wastegate type failure, and continued the flight. At approximately XA00 local time, just north of rialto, ca the engine oil light came on. It did not regain oil pressure, so I shut down this engine. Once the engine was shut down and the propeller feathered, I contacted socal app, informed them who I was, where I was, that I had lost my right engine, and that I was proceeding to el monte, ca on one engine. They gave me a squawk code, radar identified me, asked me fuel on board, and number of persons on board. I informed them that there were 6 persons on board, and of the fuel remaining. From here on in, socal app pointed out cable and brackett airports relative to my position, and asked me if I would like to land at either one. I declined, and told them that based on my altitude, that I would proceed directly to el monte. They asked if I was familiar with the area, and if I would like radar vectors. I informed them that I was very familiar with the area and did not need radar vectors at that time. At approximately the santa flight engineer dam (5 mi northeast of el monte airport) socal app was loosing radar coverage on me, told me that radar services were terminated, and told me that he would monitor the CTAF frequency until I was on the ground. Landing was uneventful and I taxied off the runway and taxiway. El monte fire department and the el monte police department were there when I arrival. Mr X of el monte airport operations showed up shortly thereafter. Actual cause of engine failure is still being investigated. Although the cause is still under investigation, the piston in the #4 cylinder failed, and caused a loss of engine oil through the breather, and subsequent loss of oil pressure. There were reportedly about 3.5 quarts of oil in the engine after this incident. As I was very familiar with the area, radar vectors were not needed, however, low level radar in the area of el monte airport is not available. This could be very helpful had it been needed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA 34 PLT ON A NIGHT FLT ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO DEST AFTER LOOSING 1 OF 2 ENGS.

Narrative: ON AUGUST TUE, 2001, I WAS PLT IN COMMAND OF A PIPER SENECA II ON A PLEASURE TRIP ENRTE FROM PAGE, ARIZONA TO EL MONTE, CALIFORNIA. ALL APPEARED NORMAL UNTIL AFTER DAGGET VOR (APPROX 2 HRS INTO THE FLT), THE R ENG BEGAN LOOSING MANIFOLD PRESSURE. ALL GAUGES WERE WITHIN NORMAL OPING LIMITS. I ASSUMED A WASTEGATE TYPE FAILURE, AND CONTINUED THE FLT. AT APPROX XA00 LCL TIME, JUST N OF RIALTO, CA THE ENG OIL LIGHT CAME ON. IT DID NOT REGAIN OIL PRESSURE, SO I SHUT DOWN THIS ENG. ONCE THE ENG WAS SHUT DOWN AND THE PROPELLER FEATHERED, I CONTACTED SOCAL APP, INFORMED THEM WHO I WAS, WHERE I WAS, THAT I HAD LOST MY R ENG, AND THAT I WAS PROCEEDING TO EL MONTE, CA ON ONE ENG. THEY GAVE ME A SQUAWK CODE, RADAR IDENTIFIED ME, ASKED ME FUEL ON BOARD, AND NUMBER OF PERSONS ON BOARD. I INFORMED THEM THAT THERE WERE 6 PERSONS ON BOARD, AND OF THE FUEL REMAINING. FROM HERE ON IN, SOCAL APP POINTED OUT CABLE AND BRACKETT ARPTS RELATIVE TO MY POSITION, AND ASKED ME IF I WOULD LIKE TO LAND AT EITHER ONE. I DECLINED, AND TOLD THEM THAT BASED ON MY ALT, THAT I WOULD PROCEED DIRECTLY TO EL MONTE. THEY ASKED IF I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, AND IF I WOULD LIKE RADAR VECTORS. I INFORMED THEM THAT I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND DID NOT NEED RADAR VECTORS AT THAT TIME. AT APPROX THE SANTA FE DAM (5 MI NE OF EL MONTE ARPT) SOCAL APP WAS LOOSING RADAR COVERAGE ON ME, TOLD ME THAT RADAR SERVICES WERE TERMINATED, AND TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD MONITOR THE CTAF FREQ UNTIL I WAS ON THE GND. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND I TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND TXWY. EL MONTE FIRE DEPT AND THE EL MONTE POLICE DEPT WERE THERE WHEN I ARR. MR X OF EL MONTE ARPT OPS SHOWED UP SHORTLY THEREAFTER. ACTUAL CAUSE OF ENG FAILURE IS STILL BEING INVESTIGATED. ALTHOUGH THE CAUSE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION, THE PISTON IN THE #4 CYLINDER FAILED, AND CAUSED A LOSS OF ENG OIL THROUGH THE BREATHER, AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. THERE WERE REPORTEDLY ABOUT 3.5 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE ENG AFTER THIS INCIDENT. AS I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, RADAR VECTORS WERE NOT NEEDED, HOWEVER, LOW LEVEL RADAR IN THE AREA OF EL MONTE ARPT IS NOT AVAILABLE. THIS COULD BE VERY HELPFUL HAD IT BEEN NEEDED.

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.