Narrative:

Departed pao on maintenance flight test with 2 newly overhauled engines. Remained overhead pao until satisfied that engines were normal, then departed northeast. Because of cloud deck above 3000', transitioned through lvk air traffic area after radio call to lvk tower. Completed test program and returned toward pao, remaining well south of lvk air traffic area. As I cleared sunol pass I noticed oil pressure of left engine fluctuating rapidly, oil temperature climbing. Thinking it possible that engine had lost oil (also possible that there was simply a dual indicator malfunction), I shut down the left engine. I then called apo tower to advise the controller that I had made a precautionary shutdown, was aware my problem was probably a gauge, and requested handling that would avoid the necessity for a go around. Tower was helpful and landing was uneventful. I submit this report because later hangar flying revealed that most mei's on the airport were under the impression that the FAA now considers precautionary shutdowns emergencys that should be declared, squawked, etc. While I did advise the controller of my problem, solutions and intentions, I didn't squawk 7700, or otherwise play to the later record, or consider all cya bases. I think I did the right thing, but also understand that plain common sense is not always an acceptable solution these days. I guess I should add that there was another available airport, HUD, but there was no way to get there west/O dragging the airplane over houses and occupied industrial bldgs. Pao seemed the most prudent choice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMT INFLT ENGINE SHUTDOWN, CONTINUED TO DESTINATION ARPT.

Narrative: DEPARTED PAO ON MAINT FLT TEST WITH 2 NEWLY OVERHAULED ENGS. REMAINED OVERHEAD PAO UNTIL SATISFIED THAT ENGS WERE NORMAL, THEN DEPARTED NE. BECAUSE OF CLOUD DECK ABOVE 3000', TRANSITIONED THROUGH LVK ATA AFTER RADIO CALL TO LVK TWR. COMPLETED TEST PROGRAM AND RETURNED TOWARD PAO, REMAINING WELL S OF LVK ATA. AS I CLRED SUNOL PASS I NOTICED OIL PRESSURE OF LEFT ENG FLUCTUATING RAPIDLY, OIL TEMP CLBING. THINKING IT POSSIBLE THAT ENG HAD LOST OIL (ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THERE WAS SIMPLY A DUAL INDICATOR MALFUNCTION), I SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENG. I THEN CALLED APO TWR TO ADVISE THE CTLR THAT I HAD MADE A PRECAUTIONARY SHUTDOWN, WAS AWARE MY PROB WAS PROBABLY A GAUGE, AND REQUESTED HANDLING THAT WOULD AVOID THE NECESSITY FOR A GAR. TWR WAS HELPFUL AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. I SUBMIT THIS RPT BECAUSE LATER HANGAR FLYING REVEALED THAT MOST MEI'S ON THE ARPT WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE FAA NOW CONSIDERS PRECAUTIONARY SHUTDOWNS EMERS THAT SHOULD BE DECLARED, SQUAWKED, ETC. WHILE I DID ADVISE THE CTLR OF MY PROB, SOLUTIONS AND INTENTIONS, I DIDN'T SQUAWK 7700, OR OTHERWISE PLAY TO THE LATER RECORD, OR CONSIDER ALL CYA BASES. I THINK I DID THE RIGHT THING, BUT ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT PLAIN COMMON SENSE IS NOT ALWAYS AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION THESE DAYS. I GUESS I SHOULD ADD THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER AVAILABLE ARPT, HUD, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY TO GET THERE W/O DRAGGING THE AIRPLANE OVER HOUSES AND OCCUPIED INDUSTRIAL BLDGS. PAO SEEMED THE MOST PRUDENT CHOICE.

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.