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Small aircraft has oil spots on windshield. Cancels IFR, returns to land.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 181859 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199106 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : rac |
| State Reference | WI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mke |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 31 flight time total : 3850 flight time type : 3200 |
| ASRS Report | 181859 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Filed racine to green bay, IFR. Mkc approach vectored us over lake michigan beyond glide range to shore. Requested we stay within gliding range. Unable to comply. Light oil spots on windshield and streaks on cowl began to appear. Requested change in course to put me over land. Mke unable to comply. Oil spots increasing but still light. Cancelled IFR. Mke said that didn't help because of traffic but did give me a direct heading towards land (270 degree). Approach asked if we were having a mechanical problem. By this time oil spots had increased to the point where it could not have been caused by a few drops spilled while adding oil. We replied in the affirmative and requested permission to return to racine. When we landed the airport operator came out to the plane with a request to call mke approach supervisor. We called. He inquired as to the mechanical and suggested that in the future we let approach know earlier so that they could be of more help. His point was well taken. An explanation to approach should have been given when the possibility of a problem existed rather than waiting until I knew for certain. Possibility of far violation (clrncs-sep standards). Approach did not acknowledge IFR cancellation. Called approach supervisor again and was assured there were no violations. However it is my understanding these are sometimes issued automatically. Problem was caused by dipstick that didn't seat properly.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA HAS OIL SPOTS ON WINDSHIELD. CANCELS IFR, RETURNS TO LAND.
Narrative: FILED RACINE TO GREEN BAY, IFR. MKC APCH VECTORED US OVER LAKE MICHIGAN BEYOND GLIDE RANGE TO SHORE. REQUESTED WE STAY WITHIN GLIDING RANGE. UNABLE TO COMPLY. LIGHT OIL SPOTS ON WINDSHIELD AND STREAKS ON COWL BEGAN TO APPEAR. REQUESTED CHANGE IN COURSE TO PUT ME OVER LAND. MKE UNABLE TO COMPLY. OIL SPOTS INCREASING BUT STILL LIGHT. CANCELLED IFR. MKE SAID THAT DIDN'T HELP BECAUSE OF TFC BUT DID GIVE ME A DIRECT HDG TOWARDS LAND (270 DEG). APCH ASKED IF WE WERE HAVING A MECHANICAL PROB. BY THIS TIME OIL SPOTS HAD INCREASED TO THE POINT WHERE IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A FEW DROPS SPILLED WHILE ADDING OIL. WE REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND REQUESTED PERMISSION TO RETURN TO RACINE. WHEN WE LANDED THE ARPT OPERATOR CAME OUT TO THE PLANE WITH A REQUEST TO CALL MKE APCH SUPVR. WE CALLED. HE INQUIRED AS TO THE MECHANICAL AND SUGGESTED THAT IN THE FUTURE WE LET APCH KNOW EARLIER SO THAT THEY COULD BE OF MORE HELP. HIS POINT WAS WELL TAKEN. AN EXPLANATION TO APCH SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN WHEN THE POSSIBILITY OF A PROB EXISTED RATHER THAN WAITING UNTIL I KNEW FOR CERTAIN. POSSIBILITY OF FAR VIOLATION (CLRNCS-SEP STANDARDS). APCH DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IFR CANCELLATION. CALLED APCH SUPVR AGAIN AND WAS ASSURED THERE WERE NO VIOLATIONS. HOWEVER IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THESE ARE SOMETIMES ISSUED AUTOMATICALLY. PROB WAS CAUSED BY DIPSTICK THAT DIDN'T SEAT PROPERLY.
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.