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Part 135 pilot performed a precautionary engine shutdown and return land after noting excessive oil leak and oil pressure loss. Emergency declared.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 314919 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199508 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : rbv |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : phl |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | PA-31P Navajo P |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 314919 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I took off at approximately XA15 from pne on an IFR flight plan, part 135 flight to bdr. After approximately 3 min I noticed an excessive oil leak over the right engine cowling and requested vectors back to pne. Due to a rapid decrease of the oil pressure, I declared an emergency, shut down and feathered the right engine, 7 mins after takeoff, to save the engine and reduce the drag. I flew the ILS runway 24 back to pne and made a safe and successful landing. After returning back to the ramp I discovered that the dipstick had unlatched in flight. That morning before the flight during the preflight I checked the oil and made sure the dipsticks were latched after that. In the past 5 yrs I have been flying this airplane and never had this problem occur. So why it unlatched is for me a mystery.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PART 135 PLT PERFORMED A PRECAUTIONARY ENG SHUTDOWN AND RETURN LAND AFTER NOTING EXCESSIVE OIL LEAK AND OIL PRESSURE LOSS. EMER DECLARED.
Narrative: I TOOK OFF AT APPROX XA15 FROM PNE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, PART 135 FLT TO BDR. AFTER APPROX 3 MIN I NOTICED AN EXCESSIVE OIL LEAK OVER THE R ENG COWLING AND REQUESTED VECTORS BACK TO PNE. DUE TO A RAPID DECREASE OF THE OIL PRESSURE, I DECLARED AN EMER, SHUT DOWN AND FEATHERED THE R ENG, 7 MINS AFTER TKOF, TO SAVE THE ENG AND REDUCE THE DRAG. I FLEW THE ILS RWY 24 BACK TO PNE AND MADE A SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL LNDG. AFTER RETURNING BACK TO THE RAMP I DISCOVERED THAT THE DIPSTICK HAD UNLATCHED IN FLT. THAT MORNING BEFORE THE FLT DURING THE PREFLT I CHKED THE OIL AND MADE SURE THE DIPSTICKS WERE LATCHED AFTER THAT. IN THE PAST 5 YRS I HAVE BEEN FLYING THIS AIRPLANE AND NEVER HAD THIS PROB OCCUR. SO WHY IT UNLATCHED IS FOR ME A MYSTERY.
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.