Narrative:

I was observing one of our pilots on a route to dothan, al from birmingham. Approximately 25 min into the flight we had an indication that we had an oil pressure problem. At that time we asked for montgomery, al as our destination. As the situation progressed the PIC asked for priority handling. I advised ATC that we would be negative engine before landing. We maintained 9000' until engine oil pressure fell to 30 psi. At that time I secured engine to avoid possible catastrophic engine failure or fire. The location of aircraft at time of engine shutdown was approximately 8-9 mi from airport and on vectors to ILS. We at that time asked for vectors to runway and started best glide. At about 5 mi from airport we realized we were still high and I told PIC to increase rate of descent. We were at approximately 4-5000'. ATC called out a distance every mi from runway. When we crossed runway we were still about 3000'. At that time I told PIC to make a 360 degree turn to lose altitude and to spiral down over runway till we broke out of clouds. After one turn we broke out, saw runway and initiated attempt to land. Due to almost maximum weight, propeller feathered, high airspeed, and high altitude we first touched down at the 3000' remaining marker on runway 27 (9000' length). Upon touchdown I started braking, pilot removed flaps and also braked. The brakes locked, blew tires. We came to stop at exactly the 1000' remaining mark and with no other damage than blown tires and expired engine, on the center of runway. I think the PIC and myself handled emergency correctly with minimal damage to aircraft. After preliminary investigation from company, and engine manufacturer the findings point toward pilot's failure to properly secure oil dip stick cap on his preflight inspection.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT LOST OIL QUANTITY PRESSURE AT CRUISE ALT. DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: I WAS OBSERVING ONE OF OUR PLTS ON A ROUTE TO DOTHAN, AL FROM BIRMINGHAM. APPROX 25 MIN INTO THE FLT WE HAD AN INDICATION THAT WE HAD AN OIL PRESSURE PROBLEM. AT THAT TIME WE ASKED FOR MONTGOMERY, AL AS OUR DEST. AS THE SITUATION PROGRESSED THE PIC ASKED FOR PRIORITY HANDLING. I ADVISED ATC THAT WE WOULD BE NEGATIVE ENGINE BEFORE LNDG. WE MAINTAINED 9000' UNTIL ENGINE OIL PRESSURE FELL TO 30 PSI. AT THAT TIME I SECURED ENGINE TO AVOID POSSIBLE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE OR FIRE. THE LOCATION OF ACFT AT TIME OF ENGINE SHUTDOWN WAS APPROX 8-9 MI FROM ARPT AND ON VECTORS TO ILS. WE AT THAT TIME ASKED FOR VECTORS TO RWY AND STARTED BEST GLIDE. AT ABOUT 5 MI FROM ARPT WE REALIZED WE WERE STILL HIGH AND I TOLD PIC TO INCREASE RATE OF DSCNT. WE WERE AT APPROX 4-5000'. ATC CALLED OUT A DISTANCE EVERY MI FROM RWY. WHEN WE CROSSED RWY WE WERE STILL ABOUT 3000'. AT THAT TIME I TOLD PIC TO MAKE A 360 DEG TURN TO LOSE ALT AND TO SPIRAL DOWN OVER RWY TILL WE BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS. AFTER ONE TURN WE BROKE OUT, SAW RWY AND INITIATED ATTEMPT TO LAND. DUE TO ALMOST MAX WEIGHT, PROP FEATHERED, HIGH AIRSPEED, AND HIGH ALT WE FIRST TOUCHED DOWN AT THE 3000' REMAINING MARKER ON RWY 27 (9000' LENGTH). UPON TOUCHDOWN I STARTED BRAKING, PLT REMOVED FLAPS AND ALSO BRAKED. THE BRAKES LOCKED, BLEW TIRES. WE CAME TO STOP AT EXACTLY THE 1000' REMAINING MARK AND WITH NO OTHER DAMAGE THAN BLOWN TIRES AND EXPIRED ENGINE, ON THE CENTER OF RWY. I THINK THE PIC AND MYSELF HANDLED EMER CORRECTLY WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE TO ACFT. AFTER PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION FROM COMPANY, AND ENGINE MANUFACTURER THE FINDINGS POINT TOWARD PLT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY SECURE OIL DIP STICK CAP ON HIS PREFLT INSPECTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.