PA31-350 CHIEFTAIN EXPERIENCES PWR LOSS AT FL190; DIVERTS TO LNDG. THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE DECREASED ENOUGH THAT THE PLT SHUT DOWN THE ENG.

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I WAS PLTING A PIPER CHIEFTAIN ENRTE FROM MLB TO CHS ON APR/XX/97 AT XA30 EASTERN TIME. OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS FL190; AND WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO THE CRAIG VOR THEN DIRECT CHS. UPON CLBING THROUGH 15000 FT; WE NOTICED A SPLIT ON THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE GAUGES. WE CONTINUED TO CLB; TAKING NOTE OF THE SIT. WHEN REACHING FL190; I SET THE PWR TO CRUISE SETTING. SOON AFTER; THE PA31-350 YAWED TO THE L; INDICATING AN ENG PROB. THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE ON THE L ENG WAS VERY LOW; HOWEVER; IT WAS STILL OPERATING. THEN THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE READING ON THE L ENG CONTINUED TO DECREASE. WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN L TURN TO THE S TO APCH MLB. WE THEN CALLED ZMA AND INFORMED THEM WE HAD A L ENG FAILURE. THEY ASKED US IF WE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND WE SAID; 'NO' BUT WE REQUESTED A DSCNT TO 5000 FT AND DIRECT MLB. WE TOLD THEM WE'D DECLARE AN EMER WITH MLB TWR. THE CTLR CLRED US TO 5000 FT AND INITIALLY TOLD US TO MAKE A R TURN TO S TO GO DIRECT MLB. HE THEN NOTICED THAT WE HAD ALREADY TURNED L AND SAID 'OK; TURN L THEN; CLRED DIRECT MLB.' WE PROCEEDED TOWARDS MLB; SECURED THE L ENG AND DSNDED AT 'PLT'S DISCRETION' (AS INSTRUCTED BY ZMA). WE THEN WERE HANDED OFF TO PATRICK APCH; AND FINALLY TO MELBOURNE TWR WITH WHOM WE DECLARED AN EMER. WE RESPONDED TO THEIR QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS ON BOARD -- 3 HRS FUEL; 5 SOULS. MLB TWR CLRED US TO LAND ON RWY 27L. WE OVERFLEW MLB AT 5000 FT; PROCEEDED OUTBOUND FOR 5 MI; THEN MADE A GRADUAL L TURN TO FINAL ON RWY 27L. I LANDED THE PLANE WITHOUT INCIDENT/INJURY ON RWY 27L. A CRASH VEHICLE WAS STANDING BY THE RWY WHEN WE LANDED; BUT WE DID NOT NEED THEIR SVCS. WE TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP AT MLB; ONLY HAVING THE R ENG TO USE FOR PWR. WE THEN PARKED THE ACFT AT THE RAMP. AFTER SPEAKING WITH MAINT AS TO THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE ENG FAILURE; THEY CONCLUDED THAT A DUCT/TUBING SHEARED LOOSE OFF THE TURBOCHARGER; CAUSING IT TO FAIL INFLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THIS WAS PROBABLY A MAINT PROB. IT WAS NOTED IN PREVIOUS MAINT WORK THAT THE CLAMP HOLDING THE TUBE WAS NOT ATTACHED QUITE CORRECTLY. HOWEVER; NOTHING WAS DONE. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE VIBRATION AT HIGH ALT CAUSED THE CLAMP TO FAIL AND THUS NO AIR WAS ENTERING THE TURBOCHARGER. THE ACFT HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND IS BACK IN SVC. RPTR INDICATED THEY DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE THEY HAD PLENTY OF ALT AND 60 MI TO THE ARPT AND THERE WAS NOT MUCH TFC. ATC HAD CLRED THEM TO DSND AT PLT'S DISCRETION AND FELT THEY WERE IN GOOD SHAPE.