B757-200 left engine quits nearing cruise altitude. Diverts to nearest suitable airport.

Attributes
ACN	730494
Time
Date	200703
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 32800
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 255 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	730494
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Approaching FL330 for FL340; the left engine just quit. I called for and the drift-down qrc was accomplished; ATC was notified that we needed FL230; an emergency was declared; and we diverted to ZZZ1. Being we were not in ETOPS airspace; I elected to fly at FL230 and 270 KIAS versus the lower ETOPS altitude and 310 KIAS. No attempt was made to restart the engine as N2 and oil pressure were zero and N1 was showing very little wind-milling RPM. The engine was then secured. Dispatch was notified via ACARS and fire equipment was requested. Decision was made to divert to ZZZ; due to rain showers in ZZZ2 area as well the fact that the ZZZ2 tower was closed. With right engine operating properly; this extra time posed no threat to the crew or passenger but did allow time to organize the cabin and mentally prepare for a heavy weight (218.0) 20 degree flap landing. The landing was a normal touchdown. The flight attendants were advised and told they had 30 min till landing in ZZZ; I made a quick PA announcement just after the engine shut down with the first officer making a slightly more detailed one 15 min before landing. The flight landed without any further problems and taxied to the gate under its own power.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 LEFT ENG QUITS NEARING CRUISE ALT. DIVERTS TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.

Narrative: APCHING FL330 FOR FL340; THE L ENG JUST QUIT. I CALLED FOR AND THE DRIFT-DOWN QRC WAS ACCOMPLISHED; ATC WAS NOTIFIED THAT WE NEEDED FL230; AN EMER WAS DECLARED; AND WE DIVERTED TO ZZZ1. BEING WE WERE NOT IN ETOPS AIRSPACE; I ELECTED TO FLY AT FL230 AND 270 KIAS VERSUS THE LOWER ETOPS ALT AND 310 KIAS. NO ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO RESTART THE ENG AS N2 AND OIL PRESSURE WERE ZERO AND N1 WAS SHOWING VERY LITTLE WIND-MILLING RPM. THE ENG WAS THEN SECURED. DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED VIA ACARS AND FIRE EQUIP WAS REQUESTED. DECISION WAS MADE TO DIVERT TO ZZZ; DUE TO RAIN SHOWERS IN ZZZ2 AREA AS WELL THE FACT THAT THE ZZZ2 TWR WAS CLOSED. WITH R ENG OPERATING PROPERLY; THIS EXTRA TIME POSED NO THREAT TO THE CREW OR PAX BUT DID ALLOW TIME TO ORGANIZE THE CABIN AND MENTALLY PREPARE FOR A HVY WT (218.0) 20 DEG FLAP LNDG. THE LNDG WAS A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE ADVISED AND TOLD THEY HAD 30 MIN TILL LNDG IN ZZZ; I MADE A QUICK PA ANNOUNCEMENT JUST AFTER THE ENG SHUT DOWN WITH THE FO MAKING A SLIGHTLY MORE DETAILED ONE 15 MIN BEFORE LNDG. THE FLT LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBS AND TAXIED TO THE GATE UNDER ITS OWN PWR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.