Narrative:

Arrived saratoga springs, ny airport in a.M. As there were scattered snowshowers, I installed cowl covers. Returned to airport about C:45 P.M. Moderate snowshowers and getting dark. Field was going IFR. Called 800-WX-brief. Got burlington. They reported alb (30 mi south 5000', visibility +5) white plains destination VFR, but icing in clouds to north and west. Temperature at saratoga about freezing. Field IFR for moc 3700, figuring to be in VFR conditions in 15-20 mi. Since saratoga is uncontrolled, had to obtain clearance on the ground, with much delay. At about D:20, they gave me a clearance to be off the ground by D:30, call if unable by D:35. Ran to aircraft, did an incomplete preflight and neglected to remove cowl covers. Alb approach cleared me to 6000'. About 10-15 mins into flight I noticed low oil pressure. Extreme high cylinder head and oil temperature. Told approach and asked for lower (VFR) and changed destination to poughkeepsie. Approach suggested columbia county airport, 8 mi east. Proceeded to land at columbia county. Between time of discovery of the problem and landing, I figured out the problem. Engine throughout sounded and functioned normally. Approach asked me to call them when on the ground, which I did. Human performance considerations: should have done a complete preflight prior to obtaining clearance. Should not have accepted clearance with a window so close to the time it was given. Factors affecting human performance: did not want to be in clouds near freezing temperatures in the dark, therefore tried to rush. Did not want clearance to 6000' when MOA was 3700' and would have been clear of clouds in approximately 5 mins, instead of in them. Should not rush standard procedures, period.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DOES POOR PREFLT IN HURRY TO COMPLY WITH VOID TIME. ENGINE OVERHEAT, EMERGENCY LNDG.

Narrative: ARRIVED SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY ARPT IN A.M. AS THERE WERE SCATTERED SNOWSHOWERS, I INSTALLED COWL COVERS. RETURNED TO ARPT ABOUT C:45 P.M. MODERATE SNOWSHOWERS AND GETTING DARK. FIELD WAS GOING IFR. CALLED 800-WX-BRIEF. GOT BURLINGTON. THEY RPTED ALB (30 MI S 5000', VISIBILITY +5) WHITE PLAINS DEST VFR, BUT ICING IN CLOUDS TO N AND W. TEMP AT SARATOGA ABOUT FREEZING. FIELD IFR FOR MOC 3700, FIGURING TO BE IN VFR CONDITIONS IN 15-20 MI. SINCE SARATOGA IS UNCONTROLLED, HAD TO OBTAIN CLRNC ON THE GND, WITH MUCH DELAY. AT ABOUT D:20, THEY GAVE ME A CLRNC TO BE OFF THE GND BY D:30, CALL IF UNABLE BY D:35. RAN TO ACFT, DID AN INCOMPLETE PREFLT AND NEGLECTED TO REMOVE COWL COVERS. ALB APCH CLRED ME TO 6000'. ABOUT 10-15 MINS INTO FLT I NOTICED LOW OIL PRESSURE. EXTREME HIGH CYLINDER HEAD AND OIL TEMP. TOLD APCH AND ASKED FOR LOWER (VFR) AND CHANGED DEST TO POUGHKEEPSIE. APCH SUGGESTED COLUMBIA COUNTY ARPT, 8 MI E. PROCEEDED TO LAND AT COLUMBIA COUNTY. BTWN TIME OF DISCOVERY OF THE PROB AND LNDG, I FIGURED OUT THE PROB. ENG THROUGHOUT SOUNDED AND FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. APCH ASKED ME TO CALL THEM WHEN ON THE GND, WHICH I DID. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: SHOULD HAVE DONE A COMPLETE PREFLT PRIOR TO OBTAINING CLRNC. SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED CLRNC WITH A WINDOW SO CLOSE TO THE TIME IT WAS GIVEN. FACTORS AFFECTING HUMAN PERFORMANCE: DID NOT WANT TO BE IN CLOUDS NEAR FREEZING TEMPS IN THE DARK, THEREFORE TRIED TO RUSH. DID NOT WANT CLRNC TO 6000' WHEN MOA WAS 3700' AND WOULD HAVE BEEN CLR OF CLOUDS IN APPROX 5 MINS, INSTEAD OF IN THEM. SHOULD NOT RUSH STANDARD PROCS, PERIOD.

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.