Narrative:

During level cruise flight approximately 20 min north of destination (iad) the hydraulic light on the multiple alarm panel illuminated. The first officer was flying on the autoplt and I told him to fly the aircraft while I handled the problem. The overhead hydraulic panel revealed that the left hydraulic main pump low pressure light was on. I checked the left hydraulic quantity indicator which showed 1/2 full initially. As I was looking at the indicator, it flickered twice and then went to zero. We had just been handed over to dulles approach control and I informed them that we were having a hydraulic problem and requested priority handling with the emergency equipment standing by. We performed all abnormal, emergency and normal checklists and landed uneventfully. Prior to landing, I gave a complete briefing to the flight attendant, passenger, company dispatch, and the first officer for the procedures to follow. After landing, and the aircraft was brought to a complete stop on the runway centerline, I determined that we were able to safely taxi the aircraft clear of the runway but would then park it had have maintenance tow it to the gate. I informed ATC and company that, once clear of the runway and parked, that a tow to the gate was required. I also briefed the crew and passenger as well. I believe that all parties performed an excellent job. I had a proficiency check approximately 3 weeks prior to this incident. Some of the items covered during my oral and flight check proved to be extremely helpful. The training captain had me do a flaps 0 degree landing. Taxi without use of the nosewheel steering, taxi without brakes, and stop the aircraft with the emergency brake only. All of these training items were used during this actual incident and I believe were a major contribution to the uneventful outcome. I also believe that regional airline pilots have some of the most difficult conditions to work with due to economics. The training department and instructors at my regional airline have certainly disproved the critics concerning regional or part 135 airline training.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT ACFT EQUIP MALFUNCTION.

Narrative: DURING LEVEL CRUISE FLT APPROX 20 MIN N OF DEST (IAD) THE HYD LIGHT ON THE MULTIPLE ALARM PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE FO WAS FLYING ON THE AUTOPLT AND I TOLD HIM TO FLY THE ACFT WHILE I HANDLED THE PROBLEM. THE OVERHEAD HYD PANEL REVEALED THAT THE L HYD MAIN PUMP LOW PRESSURE LIGHT WAS ON. I CHKED THE L HYD QUANTITY INDICATOR WHICH SHOWED 1/2 FULL INITIALLY. AS I WAS LOOKING AT THE INDICATOR, IT FLICKERED TWICE AND THEN WENT TO ZERO. WE HAD JUST BEEN HANDED OVER TO DULLES APCH CTL AND I INFORMED THEM THAT WE WERE HAVING A HYD PROBLEM AND REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING WITH THE EMER EQUIPMENT STANDING BY. WE PERFORMED ALL ABNORMAL, EMER AND NORMAL CHKLISTS AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. PRIOR TO LNDG, I GAVE A COMPLETE BRIEFING TO THE FLT ATTENDANT, PAX, COMPANY DISPATCH, AND THE FO FOR THE PROCS TO FOLLOW. AFTER LNDG, AND THE ACFT WAS BROUGHT TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE RWY CTRLINE, I DETERMINED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY TAXI THE ACFT CLR OF THE RWY BUT WOULD THEN PARK IT HAD HAVE MAINT TOW IT TO THE GATE. I INFORMED ATC AND COMPANY THAT, ONCE CLR OF THE RWY AND PARKED, THAT A TOW TO THE GATE WAS REQUIRED. I ALSO BRIEFED THE CREW AND PAX AS WELL. I BELIEVE THAT ALL PARTIES PERFORMED AN EXCELLENT JOB. I HAD A PROFICIENCY CHECK APPROX 3 WKS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. SOME OF THE ITEMS COVERED DURING MY ORAL AND FLT CHK PROVED TO BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL. THE TRAINING CAPT HAD ME DO A FLAPS 0 DEG LNDG. TAXI WITHOUT USE OF THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING, TAXI WITHOUT BRAKES, AND STOP THE ACFT WITH THE EMER BRAKE ONLY. ALL OF THESE TRAINING ITEMS WERE USED DURING THIS ACTUAL INCIDENT AND I BELIEVE WERE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE UNEVENTFUL OUTCOME. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT REGIONAL AIRLINE PLTS HAVE SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT CONDITIONS TO WORK WITH DUE TO ECONOMICS. THE TRAINING DEPT AND INSTRUCTORS AT MY REGIONAL AIRLINE HAVE CERTAINLY DISPROVED THE CRITICS CONCERNING REGIONAL OR PART 135 AIRLINE TRAINING.

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.