GA small aircraft loss of engine oil at cruise altitude. Diversion to alternate.

Attributes
ACN	119283
Time
Date	198908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : loa
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 380 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	119283
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

30 min after departure, during cruise flight, an oil leak was noticed across the windshield which rapidly increased and completely obscured forward vision. Preparations were made for power-off landing. Route of flight was amended for the closest airport and an uneventful landing was made prior to complete loss of oil pressure or engine power. There was no structural damage to the aircraft, no injuries to passenger, no violations of regulations and no local property damage. After landing, search for the source of the oil leak was performed and found to be due to a missing safety wire which held a bolt in place securing the idling gear shaft between the engine crank shaft and propeller governor. The wire had apparently not been replaced after engine overhaul approximately 1 yr ago. Investigation and evaluation are ongoing at this time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA LOSS OF ENGINE OIL AT CRUISE ALT. DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: 30 MIN AFTER DEP, DURING CRUISE FLT, AN OIL LEAK WAS NOTICED ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD WHICH RAPIDLY INCREASED AND COMPLETELY OBSCURED FORWARD VISION. PREPARATIONS WERE MADE FOR POWER-OFF LNDG. ROUTE OF FLT WAS AMENDED FOR THE CLOSEST ARPT AND AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE PRIOR TO COMPLETE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE OR ENGINE POWER. THERE WAS NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT, NO INJURIES TO PAX, NO VIOLATIONS OF REGS AND NO LCL PROPERTY DAMAGE. AFTER LNDG, SEARCH FOR THE SOURCE OF THE OIL LEAK WAS PERFORMED AND FOUND TO BE DUE TO A MISSING SAFETY WIRE WHICH HELD A BOLT IN PLACE SECURING THE IDLING GEAR SHAFT BETWEEN THE ENGINE CRANK SHAFT AND PROP GOVERNOR. THE WIRE HAD APPARENTLY NOT BEEN REPLACED AFTER ENGINE OVERHAUL APPROX 1 YR AGO. INVESTIGATION AND EVALUATION ARE ONGOING AT THIS TIME.

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.