Narrative:

Upon departure from the airport at about 15 mins into the climb, the left engine began to surge. The manifold pressure appeared to surge plus and minus two inches of mercury. I attempted to correct the problem primarily by changing the magneto switch; however, the engine subsequently quit and I returned the aircraft to the airport. I elected not to feather the engine which I realize now was a poor judgement. I learned a lot from this incident and it had greatly changed my attitudes about emergencys. In the future I will be prompt in feathering a failed engine that I cannot restart. I believe that it is incidents like this that transform inexperienced pilots into seasoned ones.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT SHUT DOWN ENGINE BUT DID NOT FEATHER THE PROPELLER. RETURN LAND LRP HIS DEP ARPT.

Narrative: UPON DEP FROM THE ARPT AT ABOUT 15 MINS INTO THE CLB, THE L ENG BEGAN TO SURGE. THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE APPEARED TO SURGE PLUS AND MINUS TWO INCHES OF MERCURY. I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM PRIMARILY BY CHANGING THE MAGNETO SWITCH; HOWEVER, THE ENG SUBSEQUENTLY QUIT AND I RETURNED THE ACFT TO THE ARPT. I ELECTED NOT TO FEATHER THE ENG WHICH I REALIZE NOW WAS A POOR JUDGEMENT. I LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS INCIDENT AND IT HAD GREATLY CHANGED MY ATTITUDES ABOUT EMERS. IN THE FUTURE I WILL BE PROMPT IN FEATHERING A FAILED ENG THAT I CANNOT RESTART. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS INCIDENTS LIKE THIS THAT TRANSFORM INEXPERIENCED PLTS INTO SEASONED ONES.

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.