Air carrier large transport in-flight engine shutdown due to low oil pressure quantity.

Attributes
ACN	197992
Time
Date	199112
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zfw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 21000
ASRS Report	197992
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Noticed a fluctuation in oil pressure along with an intermediate low oil pressure light and a decrease in oil quantity. After a short monitoring period, it was obvious the engine was rapidly losing oil so I shut it down just before it ran out or the pressure fell into the 'red' zone. ATC was advised of my diversion to dfw, the emergency was declared and the equipment alerted, and all emergency, abnormal and normal checklists were complied with. A normal, single engine landing was made on 17L at dfw. An after landing inspection of the engine showed that it had 1 quart of oil remaining and that a fitting was loose on an external high pressure oil line which was the source of the leak. Maintenance informed me that the shut down, just prior to the engine falling into a 'no oil pressure' situation during its 15 mins of windmilling, probably saved the engine. There was no incident or accident involved in this occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN DUE TO LOW OIL PRESSURE QUANTITY.

Narrative: NOTICED A FLUCTUATION IN OIL PRESSURE ALONG WITH AN INTERMEDIATE LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT AND A DECREASE IN OIL QUANTITY. AFTER A SHORT MONITORING PERIOD, IT WAS OBVIOUS THE ENG WAS RAPIDLY LOSING OIL SO I SHUT IT DOWN JUST BEFORE IT RAN OUT OR THE PRESSURE FELL INTO THE 'RED' ZONE. ATC WAS ADVISED OF MY DIVERSION TO DFW, THE EMER WAS DECLARED AND THE EQUIP ALERTED, AND ALL EMER, ABNORMAL AND NORMAL CHKLISTS WERE COMPLIED WITH. A NORMAL, SINGLE ENG LNDG WAS MADE ON 17L AT DFW. AN AFTER LNDG INSPECTION OF THE ENG SHOWED THAT IT HAD 1 QUART OF OIL REMAINING AND THAT A FITTING WAS LOOSE ON AN EXTERNAL HIGH PRESSURE OIL LINE WHICH WAS THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK. MAINT INFORMED ME THAT THE SHUT DOWN, JUST PRIOR TO THE ENG FALLING INTO A 'NO OIL PRESSURE' SITUATION DURING ITS 15 MINS OF WINDMILLING, PROBABLY SAVED THE ENG. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT INVOLVED IN THIS OCCURRENCE.

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.