Narrative:

We lost our critical engine 25 NM north of grand rapids, mn, airport. Plane was about 200 pounds under gross, has poor single engine performance. I was getting 200 FPM climb with gear up. I decided to delay lowering gear until last min for fear of poor performance with gear down. On base to final, I lowered gear -- it did not lock. No lights indicated, but my position was 1/2 mi final, 200 ft. I did not believe I had time to deal with gear but needed to decide if go around was appropriate. I believed it was not and decided to land. Since we did not know main gear was locked down when we approached, we elected to side-step to the snow. I feathered right engine. We landed about 300 ft down runway. Stopped in 300 ft. No injuries, even minor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTI ENG FLT HAS ENG FAILURE. MAKE EMER LNDG ADJACENT TO RWY IN SNOW AS NOT ASSURED GEAR LOCKED.

Narrative: WE LOST OUR CRITICAL ENG 25 NM N OF GRAND RAPIDS, MN, ARPT. PLANE WAS ABOUT 200 POUNDS UNDER GROSS, HAS POOR SINGLE ENG PERFORMANCE. I WAS GETTING 200 FPM CLB WITH GEAR UP. I DECIDED TO DELAY LOWERING GEAR UNTIL LAST MIN FOR FEAR OF POOR PERFORMANCE WITH GEAR DOWN. ON BASE TO FINAL, I LOWERED GEAR -- IT DID NOT LOCK. NO LIGHTS INDICATED, BUT MY POS WAS 1/2 MI FINAL, 200 FT. I DID NOT BELIEVE I HAD TIME TO DEAL WITH GEAR BUT NEEDED TO DECIDE IF GAR WAS APPROPRIATE. I BELIEVED IT WAS NOT AND DECIDED TO LAND. SINCE WE DID NOT KNOW MAIN GEAR WAS LOCKED DOWN WHEN WE APCHED, WE ELECTED TO SIDE-STEP TO THE SNOW. I FEATHERED R ENG. WE LANDED ABOUT 300 FT DOWN RWY. STOPPED IN 300 FT. NO INJURIES, EVEN MINOR.

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.