Engine shutdown when oil pressure drops to redline. Return land ind.

Attributes
ACN	166063
Time
Date	199012
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	166063
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Departed in IMC conditions. While climbing through 15000, noticed #3 engine oil pressure decreasing. Oil quantity and oil temperature were normal. When oil pressure dropped to 35 psi, at FL230, a precautionary engine shutdown was accomplished. All applicable emergency and abnormal checklists were completed, an emergency was declared, and an overweight landing was made in ind. The FAA met the aircraft but were primarily concerned maintenance and did not ask the flight crew too many questions. No report was filled out on the crew by the FAA. After maintenance corrected the problem, we loaded passengers and made a second takeoff. While climbing through 10000 noticed oil pressure decreasing again on #3 engine. This time it did not go below 35 psi and the engine was not shutdown. We did not declare an emergency and returned once again to ind where we made another overweight landing. This time the FAA did meet the aircraft and filled out an incident report taking information from the cockpit crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE SHUTDOWN WHEN OIL PRESSURE DROPS TO REDLINE. RETURN LAND IND.

Narrative: DEPARTED IN IMC CONDITIONS. WHILE CLBING THROUGH 15000, NOTICED #3 ENG OIL PRESSURE DECREASING. OIL QUANTITY AND OIL TEMP WERE NORMAL. WHEN OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO 35 PSI, AT FL230, A PRECAUTIONARY ENG SHUTDOWN WAS ACCOMPLISHED. ALL APPLICABLE EMER AND ABNORMAL CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED, AN EMER WAS DECLARED, AND AN OVERWEIGHT LNDG WAS MADE IN IND. THE FAA MET THE ACFT BUT WERE PRIMARILY CONCERNED MAINT AND DID NOT ASK THE FLT CREW TOO MANY QUESTIONS. NO RPT WAS FILLED OUT ON THE CREW BY THE FAA. AFTER MAINT CORRECTED THE PROB, WE LOADED PAXS AND MADE A SEC TKOF. WHILE CLBING THROUGH 10000 NOTICED OIL PRESSURE DECREASING AGAIN ON #3 ENG. THIS TIME IT DID NOT GO BELOW 35 PSI AND THE ENG WAS NOT SHUTDOWN. WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER AND RETURNED ONCE AGAIN TO IND WHERE WE MADE ANOTHER OVERWEIGHT LNDG. THIS TIME THE FAA DID MEET THE ACFT AND FILLED OUT AN INCIDENT RPT TAKING INFO FROM THE COCKPIT CREW.

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.