Small aircraft has oil pressure problem and is reluctant to declare an emergency.

Attributes
ACN	137788
Time
Date	199002
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sba
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sba tower : cle
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 820 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	137788
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During climb to 3500', engine oil pressure was falling as it was warming up. About 6 mi east of sba, it fell to the top of the yellow arc. At this time I decided to return to sba for a precautionary landing. During my 180 degree turn I informed departure that I was returning. I had no heading/altitude restrictions on my departure clearance (VFR, own navigation). The controller wanted me to turn back to the east for a vector behind traffic he claimed I turned in front of (no traffic in sight at my altitude, and incoming traffic would have been around 2000'). I again informed him I needed to make a precautionary landing. He asked if I was declaring an emergency. I responded negative (the engine was running fine, just low oil pressure). He asked me to call the tower upon landing, which I did. No further incident occurred in communicating with the tower or ground (they also never asked for my condition or whether I needed assistance). The departure controller seemed to be upset because I wouldn't make the turn back away from the airport. Again, I was on my own navigation, departing the arsa. I explained what had happened with the oil pressure and that I had already turned toward the airport. They thanked me for calling, and that was that.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS OIL PRESSURE PROBLEM AND IS RELUCTANT TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

Narrative: DURING CLB TO 3500', ENG OIL PRESSURE WAS FALLING AS IT WAS WARMING UP. ABOUT 6 MI E OF SBA, IT FELL TO THE TOP OF THE YELLOW ARC. AT THIS TIME I DECIDED TO RETURN TO SBA FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. DURING MY 180 DEG TURN I INFORMED DEP THAT I WAS RETURNING. I HAD NO HDG/ALT RESTRICTIONS ON MY DEP CLRNC (VFR, OWN NAV). THE CTLR WANTED ME TO TURN BACK TO THE E FOR A VECTOR BEHIND TFC HE CLAIMED I TURNED IN FRONT OF (NO TFC IN SIGHT AT MY ALT, AND INCOMING TFC WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND 2000'). I AGAIN INFORMED HIM I NEEDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. HE ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I RESPONDED NEGATIVE (THE ENG WAS RUNNING FINE, JUST LOW OIL PRESSURE). HE ASKED ME TO CALL THE TWR UPON LNDG, WHICH I DID. NO FURTHER INCIDENT OCCURRED IN COMMUNICATING WITH THE TWR OR GND (THEY ALSO NEVER ASKED FOR MY CONDITION OR WHETHER I NEEDED ASSISTANCE). THE DEP CTLR SEEMED TO BE UPSET BECAUSE I WOULDN'T MAKE THE TURN BACK AWAY FROM THE ARPT. AGAIN, I WAS ON MY OWN NAV, DEPARTING THE ARSA. I EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED WITH THE OIL PRESSURE AND THAT I HAD ALREADY TURNED TOWARD THE ARPT. THEY THANKED ME FOR CALLING, AND THAT WAS THAT.

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