C421 pilot has the left engine fail, declares an emergency and returns to his departure field mry.

Attributes
ACN	595181
Time
Date	200309
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sns.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 8800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Golden Eagle 421
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 51 flight time total : 1127 flight time type : 64
ASRS Report	595781
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eng manifold pressure other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Departed monterey at XA35 PDT. Climb out normal until approximately 10 NM east of salinas at 8800 ft MSL. Sudden loss of manifold pressure in left engine. I declared an emergency and was cleared back to mry. I elected to go to mry rather than sns, because: 1) I often fly to mry, and am familiar with the descent profile. 2) I've never landed at sns, and am unfamiliar with the descent profile. 3) in the event that a single-engine go around might have been necessary, in mry, this would have taken place mostly over water with on obstructions. I was unfamiliar with the climb-path from sns. 4) I was plenty high (8800 ft MSL) with good airspeed, thus easily able to join the mry published approach profile. I feathered the engine and conducted a normal approach into mry without incident. In retrospect, even though I was closer to sns rather than myr, I believe I made the correct decision in returning to mry for the reason given above.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C421 PLT HAS THE L ENG FAIL, DECLARES AN EMER AND RETURNS TO HIS DEP FIELD MRY.

Narrative: DEPARTED MONTEREY AT XA35 PDT. CLBOUT NORMAL UNTIL APPROX 10 NM E OF SALINAS AT 8800 FT MSL. SUDDEN LOSS OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE IN L ENG. I DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS CLRED BACK TO MRY. I ELECTED TO GO TO MRY RATHER THAN SNS, BECAUSE: 1) I OFTEN FLY TO MRY, AND AM FAMILIAR WITH THE DSCNT PROFILE. 2) I'VE NEVER LANDED AT SNS, AND AM UNFAMILIAR WITH THE DSCNT PROFILE. 3) IN THE EVENT THAT A SINGLE-ENG GAR MIGHT HAVE BEEN NECESSARY, IN MRY, THIS WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE MOSTLY OVER WATER WITH ON OBSTRUCTIONS. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE CLB-PATH FROM SNS. 4) I WAS PLENTY HIGH (8800 FT MSL) WITH GOOD AIRSPD, THUS EASILY ABLE TO JOIN THE MRY PUBLISHED APCH PROFILE. I FEATHERED THE ENG AND CONDUCTED A NORMAL APCH INTO MRY WITHOUT INCIDENT. IN RETROSPECT, EVEN THOUGH I WAS CLOSER TO SNS RATHER THAN MYR, I BELIEVE I MADE THE CORRECT DECISION IN RETURNING TO MRY FOR THE REASON GIVEN ABOVE.

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.