Narrative:

During cruise; the left hydraulic system low fluid light came on. The first officer continued flying and I got the QRH. The fluid level dropped to 3 when we complied with the QRH and shut off the pumps on the left system. The first officer and I discussed our options. I then called maintenance and dispatch. We talked about the situation and I informed dispatch that our plan would be if hydraulic pressure was normal when we turned the pumps back on; we would continue to ZZZ. If the system would not pressurize; we would declare an emergency and land at ZZZ1. Dispatch agreed and we continued to ZZZ. At 10000 ft on the arrival; we completed the QRH procedure and the left hydraulic system would not pressurize. We declared an emergency with approach. I talked with the flight attendants and the passenger informing them of the situation and our change of landing airport. The first officer flew a perfect approach and landing to ZZZ1. I took the aircraft on landing roll and cleared the runway to the left and stopped. Because of limited steering; I elected to have the aircraft towed to the gate. The first tug broke and another one was sent. We arrived at the gate and deplaned the passenger. I debriefed the flight attendants; wrote up the malfunction in the logbook and called dispatch and the duty pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED LOSS OF HYD FLUID IN LEFT SYSTEM. THEY DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DIVERTED TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE AIRPORT.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE; THE L HYD SYS LOW FLUID LIGHT CAME ON. THE FO CONTINUED FLYING AND I GOT THE QRH. THE FLUID LEVEL DROPPED TO 3 WHEN WE COMPLIED WITH THE QRH AND SHUT OFF THE PUMPS ON THE L SYS. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED OUR OPTIONS. I THEN CALLED MAINT AND DISPATCH. WE TALKED ABOUT THE SITUATION AND I INFORMED DISPATCH THAT OUR PLAN WOULD BE IF HYD PRESSURE WAS NORMAL WHEN WE TURNED THE PUMPS BACK ON; WE WOULD CONTINUE TO ZZZ. IF THE SYS WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE; WE WOULD DECLARE AN EMER AND LAND AT ZZZ1. DISPATCH AGREED AND WE CONTINUED TO ZZZ. AT 10000 FT ON THE ARR; WE COMPLETED THE QRH PROC AND THE L HYD SYS WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE. WE DECLARED AN EMER WITH APCH. I TALKED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND THE PAX INFORMING THEM OF THE SITUATION AND OUR CHANGE OF LNDG ARPT. THE FO FLEW A PERFECT APCH AND LNDG TO ZZZ1. I TOOK THE ACFT ON LNDG ROLL AND CLRED THE RWY TO THE L AND STOPPED. BECAUSE OF LIMITED STEERING; I ELECTED TO HAVE THE ACFT TOWED TO THE GATE. THE FIRST TUG BROKE AND ANOTHER ONE WAS SENT. WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE AND DEPLANED THE PAX. I DEBRIEFED THE FLT ATTENDANTS; WROTE UP THE MALFUNCTION IN THE LOGBOOK AND CALLED DISPATCH AND THE DUTY PLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.