An MD83 on approach at 3000 ft declared an emergency due to left engine failure.

Attributes
ACN	637939
Time
Date	200411
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 3000
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 36l
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	637939
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	637746
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : #1 eng, n1, n2, epr ind other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Just prior to final approach fix at ZZZ, everyone on board heard a loud bang and I felt it on the rudder pedals. The left engine had seized. I made the decision to land and ascertained from the cabin that everyone was ok and there was no known damage to the cabin. An emergency was declared, checklist accomplished and aarf requested. Ng was normal, and we cleared the runway to have aarf assess any damage to the engine and airframe. Total time on single engine was under 5 mins. Taxi to gate was agreed upon by all, with an escort by aarf. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the engine was a pratt and whitney JT8D-219 and had 15000 hours in service. On inspection of the tailpipe, a few handfuls of melted metal could be observed. The engine was replaced. This was a contained failure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD83 ON APCH AT 3000 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO L ENG FAILURE.

Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO FINAL APCH FIX AT ZZZ, EVERYONE ON BOARD HEARD A LOUD BANG AND I FELT IT ON THE RUDDER PEDALS. THE L ENG HAD SEIZED. I MADE THE DECISION TO LAND AND ASCERTAINED FROM THE CABIN THAT EVERYONE WAS OK AND THERE WAS NO KNOWN DAMAGE TO THE CABIN. AN EMER WAS DECLARED, CHKLIST ACCOMPLISHED AND AARF REQUESTED. NG WAS NORMAL, AND WE CLRED THE RWY TO HAVE AARF ASSESS ANY DAMAGE TO THE ENG AND AIRFRAME. TOTAL TIME ON SINGLE ENG WAS UNDER 5 MINS. TAXI TO GATE WAS AGREED UPON BY ALL, WITH AN ESCORT BY AARF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ENG WAS A PRATT AND WHITNEY JT8D-219 AND HAD 15000 HOURS IN SERVICE. ON INSPECTION OF THE TAILPIPE, A FEW HANDFULS OF MELTED METAL COULD BE OBSERVED. THE ENG WAS REPLACED. THIS WAS A CONTAINED FAILURE.

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.