Narrative:

At approximately 60 NM north of mem on J-35 during level cruise at FL330 in IMC, the #2 engine low oil pressure illuminated. The oil pressure gauge was reading near 0. Oil quantity, oil temperature and all other engine indications were normal. I reduced power to idle on that engine. Approximately 1 min later I noticed slight fluctuations in N2 followed by a loud gang. I immediately shut the engine down and the first officer accomplished the severe engine damage checklist. We had already requested a clearance into mem and we now declared an emergency with ATC and requested emergency equipment to stand by in mem. We contacted company dispatch and advised them of our situation. We tried to contact company maintenance but were unable to establish contact through arinc. We notified the first flight attendant and asked him to prepare the cabin for an emergency evacuate/evacuation in approximately 15 mins. We completed the integrated single engine approach and landing checklist. Mem WX was 130 broken, 250 overcast, visibility 15 mi, wind 13/7 gusting to 24. Landing on runway 18L was uneventful and we gave the order for passenger to remain seated. Taxi in and parking were normal. Mechanics checked the engine oil filter and found it full of metal filings. At the time of the occurrence we were in IMC at FL330. A large area of IFR WX was approaching the area from the west. Although we were nearly over eaker air force base we had no WX reports or approach charts for it. Also we determined that in point of time mem was just as close as eaker and we had charts and WX reports available for mem. Therefore we decided that mem was a more suitable and safer airport for us to divert to. Eaker was closer to us geographically but mem was no further away from us in point of time as required by far 121.565(D). Supplemental information from acn 197178: plus both pilots felt it safer to go to memphis.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS LOW OIL PRESSURE ILLUMINATE, THEN LOUD BANG IS HEARD. DECLARES EMER, DIVERTS.

Narrative: AT APPROX 60 NM N OF MEM ON J-35 DURING LEVEL CRUISE AT FL330 IN IMC, THE #2 ENG LOW OIL PRESSURE ILLUMINATED. THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE WAS READING NEAR 0. OIL QUANTITY, OIL TEMP AND ALL OTHER ENG INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. I REDUCED PWR TO IDLE ON THAT ENG. APPROX 1 MIN LATER I NOTICED SLIGHT FLUCTUATIONS IN N2 FOLLOWED BY A LOUD GANG. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENG DOWN AND THE FO ACCOMPLISHED THE SEVERE ENG DAMAGE CHKLIST. WE HAD ALREADY REQUESTED A CLRNC INTO MEM AND WE NOW DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC AND REQUESTED EMER EQUIP TO STAND BY IN MEM. WE CONTACTED COMPANY DISPATCH AND ADVISED THEM OF OUR SITUATION. WE TRIED TO CONTACT COMPANY MAINT BUT WERE UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT THROUGH ARINC. WE NOTIFIED THE FIRST FLT ATTENDANT AND ASKED HIM TO PREPARE THE CABIN FOR AN EMER EVAC IN APPROX 15 MINS. WE COMPLETED THE INTEGRATED SINGLE ENG APCH AND LNDG CHKLIST. MEM WX WAS 130 BROKEN, 250 OVCST, VISIBILITY 15 MI, WIND 13/7 GUSTING TO 24. LNDG ON RWY 18L WAS UNEVENTFUL AND WE GAVE THE ORDER FOR PAX TO REMAIN SEATED. TAXI IN AND PARKING WERE NORMAL. MECHS CHKED THE ENG OIL FILTER AND FOUND IT FULL OF METAL FILINGS. AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE WE WERE IN IMC AT FL330. A LARGE AREA OF IFR WX WAS APCHING THE AREA FROM THE W. ALTHOUGH WE WERE NEARLY OVER EAKER AIR FORCE BASE WE HAD NO WX RPTS OR APCH CHARTS FOR IT. ALSO WE DETERMINED THAT IN POINT OF TIME MEM WAS JUST AS CLOSE AS EAKER AND WE HAD CHARTS AND WX RPTS AVAILABLE FOR MEM. THEREFORE WE DECIDED THAT MEM WAS A MORE SUITABLE AND SAFER ARPT FOR US TO DIVERT TO. EAKER WAS CLOSER TO US GEOGRAPHICALLY BUT MEM WAS NO FURTHER AWAY FROM US IN POINT OF TIME AS REQUIRED BY FAR 121.565(D). SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 197178: PLUS BOTH PLTS FELT IT SAFER TO GO TO MEMPHIS.

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.