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Pilot of small aircraft smelled oil from his engine. Received heading to nearest airport from ZAU controller. Landed with 1 quart of oil in the engine. Loose nut, blown oil gasket. Recent overhaul.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 126627 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198910 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : eon airport : rwn |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other landing other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zau |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 432 flight time type : 55 |
| ASRS Report | 126627 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
While flying west on V-38 I detected the odor of oil. I then noticed the engine oil pressure dropping rapidly. I pulled the power back completely and notified ZAU of the problem. They gave me a heading to the winamac airport. Later, relayed through a second plane, they informed me of an NDB located on the field. This was extremely helpful as I was unfamiliar with the area. At approximately 1000' AGL I put in 30% power to decrease my rate of descent. I then made a precautionary landing at the winamac airport. An examination of the engine revealed one of the nuts holding the oil cooler in place backed off. The gasket then blew out. There was less than 1 qt of oil left in the engine. The engine had just gone through a major overhaul approximately 100 hours ago.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA SMELLED OIL FROM HIS ENGINE. RECEIVED HEADING TO NEAREST ARPT FROM ZAU CTLR. LANDED WITH 1 QUART OF OIL IN THE ENGINE. LOOSE NUT, BLOWN OIL GASKET. RECENT OVERHAUL.
Narrative: WHILE FLYING W ON V-38 I DETECTED THE ODOR OF OIL. I THEN NOTICED THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROPPING RAPIDLY. I PULLED THE POWER BACK COMPLETELY AND NOTIFIED ZAU OF THE PROBLEM. THEY GAVE ME A HDG TO THE WINAMAC ARPT. LATER, RELAYED THROUGH A SECOND PLANE, THEY INFORMED ME OF AN NDB LOCATED ON THE FIELD. THIS WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL AS I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. AT APPROX 1000' AGL I PUT IN 30% POWER TO DECREASE MY RATE OF DSCNT. I THEN MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT THE WINAMAC ARPT. AN EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED ONE OF THE NUTS HOLDING THE OIL COOLER IN PLACE BACKED OFF. THE GASKET THEN BLEW OUT. THERE WAS LESS THAN 1 QT OF OIL LEFT IN THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE HAD JUST GONE THROUGH A MAJOR OVERHAUL APPROX 100 HRS AGO.
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.