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.