Narrative:

On the evening described I departed my base airport for a sightseeing trip accompanied by 2 acquaintances of mine. I began the flight activity with a full preflight inspection of the aircraft. Aircraft performance seemed to operate as normal through the preflight and departure phase of flight. While en route, I encountered an oil temperature gauge which indicated in the red. At that time I was at 2000 ft abeam a high traffic airport on tower frequency. Once I encountered the high temperature, I requested a full stop to further investigate the problem and in the concern of safety land the airplane as soon as practical to avoid any further problems that may occur due to the high temperature reading. The controller advised me that he would inquire and check back with me for that clearance. I then advised him the reasoning behind the request was a slightly high oil temperature. ATC verified that it was a mechanical problem and I verified there was a slightly high oil temperature reading. ATC inquired if I had the runway in sight, and I did and replied as such. I was issued a landing clearance and was asked if I was declaring an emergency. I replied negative. I also stated at this time that no 'priority' ATC assistance be rendered. This was repeated 2-3 times. That request was verified and acknowledged. After landing I proceeded to the instructed area dictated by ATC. I then shut the airplane down and investigated the problem. Once at the front of the airplane I realized that the unmarked gray foam packaging rubber that was being used as cowl plugs were left in the cowl. This I expected was the cause of the high oil temperature. I then proceeded to let the airplane cool, and monitor the oil temperature gauge. The airplane was left cooling for approximately 35-45 mins. I then checked the oil dip stick and added 1 quart of fresh oil which was inside the baggage compartment of the aircraft. When the engine cooled to an acceptable level, I started up and did an extended run-up to ensure the engine was safe for operation. All indications were within limits and in the green. I then proceeded back to our departure airport. While en route direct back all indications remained normal and in the green range. When I arrived I filled out the in house time sheet and associated discrepancy sheet provided on that aircraft clipboard. On the sheet I explained the problem I encountered and the deviation that was taken, and I requested the aircraft be examined. That sheet was then secured on top of the clipboard on top of the next time log sheet that was to be filled out by the next renter, in clear view. On the next time sheet I checked the box that indicated that a discrepancy sheet has been filled out to indicate to the next pilot or maintenance personnel that there has indeed been a problem with that aircraft. That concluded the events of this occurrence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT EXPERIENCES HIGH OIL TEMP AND MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.

Narrative: ON THE EVENING DESCRIBED I DEPARTED MY BASE ARPT FOR A SIGHTSEEING TRIP ACCOMPANIED BY 2 ACQUAINTANCES OF MINE. I BEGAN THE FLT ACTIVITY WITH A FULL PREFLT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT. ACFT PERFORMANCE SEEMED TO OPERATE AS NORMAL THROUGH THE PREFLT AND DEP PHASE OF FLT. WHILE ENRTE, I ENCOUNTERED AN OIL TEMP GAUGE WHICH INDICATED IN THE RED. AT THAT TIME I WAS AT 2000 FT ABEAM A HIGH TFC ARPT ON TWR FREQ. ONCE I ENCOUNTERED THE HIGH TEMP, I REQUESTED A FULL STOP TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE PROB AND IN THE CONCERN OF SAFETY LAND THE AIRPLANE AS SOON AS PRACTICAL TO AVOID ANY FURTHER PROBS THAT MAY OCCUR DUE TO THE HIGH TEMP READING. THE CTLR ADVISED ME THAT HE WOULD INQUIRE AND CHK BACK WITH ME FOR THAT CLRNC. I THEN ADVISED HIM THE REASONING BEHIND THE REQUEST WAS A SLIGHTLY HIGH OIL TEMP. ATC VERIFIED THAT IT WAS A MECHANICAL PROB AND I VERIFIED THERE WAS A SLIGHTLY HIGH OIL TEMP READING. ATC INQUIRED IF I HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT, AND I DID AND REPLIED AS SUCH. I WAS ISSUED A LNDG CLRNC AND WAS ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I REPLIED NEGATIVE. I ALSO STATED AT THIS TIME THAT NO 'PRIORITY' ATC ASSISTANCE BE RENDERED. THIS WAS REPEATED 2-3 TIMES. THAT REQUEST WAS VERIFIED AND ACKNOWLEDGED. AFTER LNDG I PROCEEDED TO THE INSTRUCTED AREA DICTATED BY ATC. I THEN SHUT THE AIRPLANE DOWN AND INVESTIGATED THE PROB. ONCE AT THE FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE I REALIZED THAT THE UNMARKED GRAY FOAM PACKAGING RUBBER THAT WAS BEING USED AS COWL PLUGS WERE LEFT IN THE COWL. THIS I EXPECTED WAS THE CAUSE OF THE HIGH OIL TEMP. I THEN PROCEEDED TO LET THE AIRPLANE COOL, AND MONITOR THE OIL TEMP GAUGE. THE AIRPLANE WAS LEFT COOLING FOR APPROX 35-45 MINS. I THEN CHKED THE OIL DIP STICK AND ADDED 1 QUART OF FRESH OIL WHICH WAS INSIDE THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT OF THE ACFT. WHEN THE ENG COOLED TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL, I STARTED UP AND DID AN EXTENDED RUN-UP TO ENSURE THE ENG WAS SAFE FOR OP. ALL INDICATIONS WERE WITHIN LIMITS AND IN THE GREEN. I THEN PROCEEDED BACK TO OUR DEP ARPT. WHILE ENRTE DIRECT BACK ALL INDICATIONS REMAINED NORMAL AND IN THE GREEN RANGE. WHEN I ARRIVED I FILLED OUT THE IN HOUSE TIME SHEET AND ASSOCIATED DISCREPANCY SHEET PROVIDED ON THAT ACFT CLIPBOARD. ON THE SHEET I EXPLAINED THE PROB I ENCOUNTERED AND THE DEV THAT WAS TAKEN, AND I REQUESTED THE ACFT BE EXAMINED. THAT SHEET WAS THEN SECURED ON TOP OF THE CLIPBOARD ON TOP OF THE NEXT TIME LOG SHEET THAT WAS TO BE FILLED OUT BY THE NEXT RENTER, IN CLR VIEW. ON THE NEXT TIME SHEET I CHKED THE BOX THAT INDICATED THAT A DISCREPANCY SHEET HAS BEEN FILLED OUT TO INDICATE TO THE NEXT PLT OR MAINT PERSONNEL THAT THERE HAS INDEED BEEN A PROB WITH THAT ACFT. THAT CONCLUDED THE EVENTS OF 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.