Large transport has oil pressure light for #1 engine. Shutdown, return land.

Attributes
ACN	272969
Time
Date	199405
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 30000 msl bound upper : 30000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 182 flight time total : 5848 flight time type : 1848
ASRS Report	272969
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While climbing through FL310 en route to FL330 approximately 20 mins out of sea airport, oil pressure light for the #1 engine illuminated. After confirming oil pressure loss on the flight engineer's panel, the throttle was retarded to idle. Both #1 oil quantity and pressure had decreased to near '0.' the engine was shut down, all checklist procedures accomplished, and we returned to sea without incident. An FAA airworthiness inspector was in the jumpseat during the entire flight. Upon landing and parking, maintenance found what was apparently an oil filter leak caused by loosened bolts. The appropriate repair work was accomplished and we loaded what was left of our passenger and took off again for lax. The takeoff and departure was normal. At about the same altitude and elapsed flight time, the #1 engine oil failed again. The same engine shutdown procedures were accomplished and we returned to sea. During both incidents, emergency equipment was requested to be standing by, but an emergency was not declared. The WX was VMC and ATC/approach personnel were very cooperative. The FAA inspector was onboard for the second flight as well. He was very pleased with the flight crew's performance and the decisions to return to sea. He was openly disturbed by the maintenance aspects of the problem. As a side note, after the second engine shutdown and return to sea, paramedics were requested for a lady with a heart condition en route to lax for medical reasons who had been on board for both engine problems. She was experiencing chest pains and the paramedic assistance was only a precaution.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT HAS OIL PRESSURE LIGHT FOR #1 ENG. SHUTDOWN, RETURN LAND.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING THROUGH FL310 ENRTE TO FL330 APPROX 20 MINS OUT OF SEA ARPT, OIL PRESSURE LIGHT FOR THE #1 ENG ILLUMINATED. AFTER CONFIRMING OIL PRESSURE LOSS ON THE FE'S PANEL, THE THROTTLE WAS RETARDED TO IDLE. BOTH #1 OIL QUANTITY AND PRESSURE HAD DECREASED TO NEAR '0.' THE ENG WAS SHUT DOWN, ALL CHKLIST PROCS ACCOMPLISHED, AND WE RETURNED TO SEA WITHOUT INCIDENT. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WAS IN THE JUMPSEAT DURING THE ENTIRE FLT. UPON LNDG AND PARKING, MAINT FOUND WHAT WAS APPARENTLY AN OIL FILTER LEAK CAUSED BY LOOSENED BOLTS. THE APPROPRIATE REPAIR WORK WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND WE LOADED WHAT WAS LEFT OF OUR PAX AND TOOK OFF AGAIN FOR LAX. THE TKOF AND DEP WAS NORMAL. AT ABOUT THE SAME ALT AND ELAPSED FLT TIME, THE #1 ENG OIL FAILED AGAIN. THE SAME ENG SHUTDOWN PROCS WERE ACCOMPLISHED AND WE RETURNED TO SEA. DURING BOTH INCIDENTS, EMER EQUIP WAS REQUESTED TO BE STANDING BY, BUT AN EMER WAS NOT DECLARED. THE WX WAS VMC AND ATC/APCH PERSONNEL WERE VERY COOPERATIVE. THE FAA INSPECTOR WAS ONBOARD FOR THE SECOND FLT AS WELL. HE WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE FLC'S PERFORMANCE AND THE DECISIONS TO RETURN TO SEA. HE WAS OPENLY DISTURBED BY THE MAINT ASPECTS OF THE PROB. AS A SIDE NOTE, AFTER THE SECOND ENG SHUTDOWN AND RETURN TO SEA, PARAMEDICS WERE REQUESTED FOR A LADY WITH A HEART CONDITION ENRTE TO LAX FOR MEDICAL REASONS WHO HAD BEEN ON BOARD FOR BOTH ENG PROBS. SHE WAS EXPERIENCING CHEST PAINS AND THE PARAMEDIC ASSISTANCE WAS ONLY A PRECAUTION.

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.