In-flight engine shutdown.

Attributes
ACN	298686
Time
Date	199503
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ekm
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ekm
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 7140 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	298686
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

After leaving our departure airport, we leveled at 7000 ft for a short IFR flight to ekm. Shortly after leveloff, we noted a slight 'hot' odor which I associated with electric heat which had been in use on the ground. I turned off the mode control, but that didn't solve the problem. Next I turned off the bleed air valves (1 at a time) to isolate the source. By this time we were within 25 mi of ekm -- about 9 mins flying time. Then the left oil pressure gauge began to slowly fluctuate about plus or minus 5 psi. After a few mins, the pressure started to slowly drop. By now we had thoroughly examined the pertinent areas of the emergency checklist. When the pressure reached about 65 pounds, we had been cleared to land and were about 6 mi from the airport. Never-the-less, I made a precautionary shutdown of the left engine. When I opened the left cowling, I was surprised to find the oil dipstick unlocked -- something I'm very careful about double checking as being locked. Somehow I did not get the locking cap flush down and the ensuing vibration caused it to become completely unlocked. It looks like I'll need to triple check it as locked next time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN.

Narrative: AFTER LEAVING OUR DEP ARPT, WE LEVELED AT 7000 FT FOR A SHORT IFR FLT TO EKM. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELOFF, WE NOTED A SLIGHT 'HOT' ODOR WHICH I ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRIC HEAT WHICH HAD BEEN IN USE ON THE GND. I TURNED OFF THE MODE CTL, BUT THAT DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROB. NEXT I TURNED OFF THE BLEED AIR VALVES (1 AT A TIME) TO ISOLATE THE SOURCE. BY THIS TIME WE WERE WITHIN 25 MI OF EKM -- ABOUT 9 MINS FLYING TIME. THEN THE L OIL PRESSURE GAUGE BEGAN TO SLOWLY FLUCTUATE ABOUT PLUS OR MINUS 5 PSI. AFTER A FEW MINS, THE PRESSURE STARTED TO SLOWLY DROP. BY NOW WE HAD THOROUGHLY EXAMINED THE PERTINENT AREAS OF THE EMER CHKLIST. WHEN THE PRESSURE REACHED ABOUT 65 LBS, WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND AND WERE ABOUT 6 MI FROM THE ARPT. NEVER-THE-LESS, I MADE A PRECAUTIONARY SHUTDOWN OF THE L ENG. WHEN I OPENED THE LEFT COWLING, I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THE OIL DIPSTICK UNLOCKED -- SOMETHING I'M VERY CAREFUL ABOUT DOUBLE CHKING AS BEING LOCKED. SOMEHOW I DID NOT GET THE LOCKING CAP FLUSH DOWN AND THE ENSUING VIBRATION CAUSED IT TO BECOME COMPLETELY UNLOCKED. IT LOOKS LIKE I'LL NEED TO TRIPLE CHK IT AS LOCKED NEXT TIME.

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.