Narrative:

On oct/xa/98 at approximately PM00, I had an engine failure in a twin engine turbo aztec model east, 1975. I was descending from 6000 ft MSL through 3500 ft when I felt a 'shudder' and within 3-5 seconds the left engine stopped. I had just canceled my IFR flight plan with ind approach. It was night, a clear sky with light and variable winds. I had 3 passenger. I turned away (east) from the indianapolis metropolitan area and attempted a restart. During the restart, I was able to ascertain that fuel was not the problem and that the engine had a catastrophic failure. I secured the engine. By now I was 25 mi west of richmond, in (aircraft home base), and landed there without incident. I departed cincinnati lunken airport 25 mins prior to engine failure with 3 hours of fuel on board and 8.5 quarts of oil in the right engine and 9 quarts in the failed engine. No emergency was called as it was clear VMC, and at the completion of engine isolation and secure I was 25 mi from the aircraft home base which has a 5500 ft runway with an ILS. Visual inspection of the engine on the ground reveals a 4 inch hole on the top of the engine block. I am very concerned that an engine 176 hours from last major overhaul, with ample fuel and oil, suddenly lost power. I would appreciate any and all assistance in determining why this occurred. The indianapolis district FAA office was notified the next morning by telephone. I was instructed that I did not need to fill out an incident report, as there was no aircraft damage and no injuries.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA23-250 PVT PLT LOSES HIS L ENG AND DIVERTS TO HOME BASE OF RID, IN, NEAR HIS ORIGINAL DEST ARPT OF IND, IN.

Narrative: ON OCT/XA/98 AT APPROX PM00, I HAD AN ENG FAILURE IN A TWIN ENG TURBO AZTEC MODEL E, 1975. I WAS DSNDING FROM 6000 FT MSL THROUGH 3500 FT WHEN I FELT A 'SHUDDER' AND WITHIN 3-5 SECONDS THE L ENG STOPPED. I HAD JUST CANCELED MY IFR FLT PLAN WITH IND APCH. IT WAS NIGHT, A CLR SKY WITH LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS. I HAD 3 PAX. I TURNED AWAY (E) FROM THE INDIANAPOLIS METRO AREA AND ATTEMPTED A RESTART. DURING THE RESTART, I WAS ABLE TO ASCERTAIN THAT FUEL WAS NOT THE PROB AND THAT THE ENG HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. I SECURED THE ENG. BY NOW I WAS 25 MI W OF RICHMOND, IN (ACFT HOME BASE), AND LANDED THERE WITHOUT INCIDENT. I DEPARTED CINCINNATI LUNKEN ARPT 25 MINS PRIOR TO ENG FAILURE WITH 3 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND 8.5 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE R ENG AND 9 QUARTS IN THE FAILED ENG. NO EMER WAS CALLED AS IT WAS CLR VMC, AND AT THE COMPLETION OF ENG ISOLATION AND SECURE I WAS 25 MI FROM THE ACFT HOME BASE WHICH HAS A 5500 FT RWY WITH AN ILS. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ENG ON THE GND REVEALS A 4 INCH HOLE ON THE TOP OF THE ENG BLOCK. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT AN ENG 176 HRS FROM LAST MAJOR OVERHAUL, WITH AMPLE FUEL AND OIL, SUDDENLY LOST PWR. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY AND ALL ASSISTANCE IN DETERMINING WHY THIS OCCURRED. THE INDIANAPOLIS DISTRICT FAA OFFICE WAS NOTIFIED THE NEXT MORNING BY TELEPHONE. I WAS INSTRUCTED THAT I DID NOT NEED TO FILL OUT AN INCIDENT RPT, AS THERE WAS NO ACFT DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES.

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.