EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Diverted; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
As we were leveling off around FL200 we noticed the oil pressure on the left engine had dropped into the amber range. We monitored the situation and noticed the oil pressure steadily dropping as well as oil quantity decreasing. We got the Master Warning; 'ENG 1 Low Pressure;' and ran the appropriate QRH. That checklist led us to the Engine Failure/Precautionary Engine Shutdown QRH. Since the situation was not resolved by the Eng 1 Low Pressure checklist and engine damage was imminent (since we had lost almost all of the oil in Engine 1) we proceeded with the precautionary engine shutdown. We knew we were right over another airport and determined it to be suitable. We notified ATC; Dispatch and our Flight Attendant and executed a single engine landing at the airport.  We took off with 11 quarts of oil and landed with 2 quarts.I think we did a good job managing this event. We used the QRH and our best judgment to bring the flight to a successful conclusion.
When oil quantity and pressure on the left engine failed the flight crew of an EMB-145 shut down the engine; declared an emergency; and diverted to the nearest suitable airport.