AN MD88 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED LOSS OF HYD FLUID IN LEFT SYSTEM. THEY DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DIVERTED TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE AIRPORT.

Narrative

DURING CRUISE; THE L HYD SYS LOW FLUID LIGHT CAME ON. THE FO CONTINUED FLYING AND I GOT THE QRH. THE FLUID LEVEL DROPPED TO 3 WHEN WE COMPLIED WITH THE QRH AND SHUT OFF THE PUMPS ON THE L SYS. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED OUR OPTIONS. I THEN CALLED MAINT AND DISPATCH. WE TALKED ABOUT THE SITUATION AND I INFORMED DISPATCH THAT OUR PLAN WOULD BE IF HYD PRESSURE WAS NORMAL WHEN WE TURNED THE PUMPS BACK ON; WE WOULD CONTINUE TO ZZZ. IF THE SYS WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE; WE WOULD DECLARE AN EMER AND LAND AT ZZZ1. DISPATCH AGREED AND WE CONTINUED TO ZZZ. AT 10000 FT ON THE ARR; WE COMPLETED THE QRH PROC AND THE L HYD SYS WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE. WE DECLARED AN EMER WITH APCH. I TALKED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND THE PAX INFORMING THEM OF THE SITUATION AND OUR CHANGE OF LNDG ARPT. THE FO FLEW A PERFECT APCH AND LNDG TO ZZZ1. I TOOK THE ACFT ON LNDG ROLL AND CLRED THE RWY TO THE L AND STOPPED. BECAUSE OF LIMITED STEERING; I ELECTED TO HAVE THE ACFT TOWED TO THE GATE. THE FIRST TUG BROKE AND ANOTHER ONE WAS SENT. WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE AND DEPLANED THE PAX. I DEBRIEFED THE FLT ATTENDANTS; WROTE UP THE MALFUNCTION IN THE LOGBOOK AND CALLED DISPATCH AND THE DUTY PLT.