Narrative:

Jun/fri/03, XA00Z, passing over lex, we were in cruise. Lex ATC said 'arc X, descend, maintain 6000 ft.' before I touched the power or pitched down for the descent, there was a 'pop.' the left engine seized and automatic feather kicked in. My first officer and I went through the proper checklists for vital actions for engine failure. We then advised ATC that we had a left engine failure. Lex approach was very prompt. We advised that we wanted to stay at a high altitude and divert to bowman field. We were handed to sdf approach. They gave us discretion dscnts and good vectors -- very accommodating. We secured the failed engine after a failed air start. As we were lined up for bowman, I realized the plane was maintaining altitude and drift down was not a threat, so decided sdf was safer to land at -- better emergency vehicles, longer runway, etc. So, we changed destination to sdf. We landed fine and requested to taxi without delay, so I would not get stuck (I haven't taxied on 1 engine for any length of time). I am still waiting on the cause of the failure. The engines were both running within company limits, which is more strict than pratt & whitney limits. I heard speculations about a bad fuel control unit, but still don't know. I grounded the plane in sdf, and it's being repaired by the FBO. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: crew was flying a SH36 aircraft. Reporter said the engine driven high pressure fuel pump failed. The pump was replaced, and the aircraft has not had an engine problem since.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SH36 CREW HAD AN ENG FAILURE IN LEX CLASS E.

Narrative: JUN/FRI/03, XA00Z, PASSING OVER LEX, WE WERE IN CRUISE. LEX ATC SAID 'ARC X, DSND, MAINTAIN 6000 FT.' BEFORE I TOUCHED THE PWR OR PITCHED DOWN FOR THE DSCNT, THERE WAS A 'POP.' THE L ENG SEIZED AND AUTO FEATHER KICKED IN. MY FO AND I WENT THROUGH THE PROPER CHKLISTS FOR VITAL ACTIONS FOR ENG FAILURE. WE THEN ADVISED ATC THAT WE HAD A L ENG FAILURE. LEX APCH WAS VERY PROMPT. WE ADVISED THAT WE WANTED TO STAY AT A HIGH ALT AND DIVERT TO BOWMAN FIELD. WE WERE HANDED TO SDF APCH. THEY GAVE US DISCRETION DSCNTS AND GOOD VECTORS -- VERY ACCOMMODATING. WE SECURED THE FAILED ENG AFTER A FAILED AIR START. AS WE WERE LINED UP FOR BOWMAN, I REALIZED THE PLANE WAS MAINTAINING ALT AND DRIFT DOWN WAS NOT A THREAT, SO DECIDED SDF WAS SAFER TO LAND AT -- BETTER EMER VEHICLES, LONGER RWY, ETC. SO, WE CHANGED DEST TO SDF. WE LANDED FINE AND REQUESTED TO TAXI WITHOUT DELAY, SO I WOULD NOT GET STUCK (I HAVEN'T TAXIED ON 1 ENG FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME). I AM STILL WAITING ON THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE ENGS WERE BOTH RUNNING WITHIN COMPANY LIMITS, WHICH IS MORE STRICT THAN PRATT & WHITNEY LIMITS. I HEARD SPECULATIONS ABOUT A BAD FUEL CTL UNIT, BUT STILL DON'T KNOW. I GNDED THE PLANE IN SDF, AND IT'S BEING REPAIRED BY THE FBO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CREW WAS FLYING A SH36 ACFT. RPTR SAID THE ENG DRIVEN HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED, AND THE ACFT HAS NOT HAD AN ENG PROB SINCE.

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.