Narrative:

After departing cmh, I proceeded to climb to cruise altitude (4500 ft). ATC directed to resume own navigation. Approximately 5 mins after leveling and turning on course (240 direct dqn VOR) during routine instrument scan I observed that the oil pressure gauge had dropped below the green zone and the oil temperature was over red line (plus 245 degrees). I requested an immediate descent and was granted with pilot's discretion. Even with reduction in power and altitude the overheat situation continued. I then declared an emergency and requested vectors to the nearest airport. ATC instructed me to call the tower upon landing. The emergency landing was uneventful and resulted in no damage to person or property. ATC required no further reports upon safe landing. The mechanics at FBO inspected the aircraft and discovered the fins on the oil cooler were warped/wrinkled. Light could not pass through the cooler due to obstruction. The oil seals that force air over the engine instead of escaping out the top were old and soft and pushed back allowing the cooling air to escape instead of cool. The aircraft I was piloting has a history of multiple problems and has been written up multiple times. I reported to my FBO the near overheat conditions I experienced at level/cruise on a cross country flight that night. It is my opinion that the aircraft was returned to flight status without attention and resolution to maintenance issues. The aircraft has a new engine, however, second FBO mechanics stated that the supporting engine components were substandard. My FBO ordered no repairs from other FBO, add oil and return to base. I returned to base. My emergency situation was totally preventable. As a renting pilot I expect the planes on flight line to be flight ready with all maintenance issues resolved. I now have serious safety concerns about the planes on flight line at my FBO.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA DECLARES EMER AND MAKES A RETURN LNDG WHEN ACFT OIL TEMP GOES ABOVE RED LINE AND OIL PRESSURE DROPS.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING CMH, I PROCEEDED TO CLB TO CRUISE ALT (4500 FT). ATC DIRECTED TO RESUME OWN NAV. APPROX 5 MINS AFTER LEVELING AND TURNING ON COURSE (240 DIRECT DQN VOR) DURING ROUTINE INST SCAN I OBSERVED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE HAD DROPPED BELOW THE GREEN ZONE AND THE OIL TEMP WAS OVER RED LINE (PLUS 245 DEGS). I REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT AND WAS GRANTED WITH PLT'S DISCRETION. EVEN WITH REDUCTION IN PWR AND ALT THE OVERHEAT SIT CONTINUED. I THEN DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT. ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL THE TWR UPON LNDG. THE EMER LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND RESULTED IN NO DAMAGE TO PERSON OR PROPERTY. ATC REQUIRED NO FURTHER RPTS UPON SAFE LNDG. THE MECHS AT FBO INSPECTED THE ACFT AND DISCOVERED THE FINS ON THE OIL COOLER WERE WARPED/WRINKLED. LIGHT COULD NOT PASS THROUGH THE COOLER DUE TO OBSTRUCTION. THE OIL SEALS THAT FORCE AIR OVER THE ENG INSTEAD OF ESCAPING OUT THE TOP WERE OLD AND SOFT AND PUSHED BACK ALLOWING THE COOLING AIR TO ESCAPE INSTEAD OF COOL. THE ACFT I WAS PILOTING HAS A HISTORY OF MULTIPLE PROBS AND HAS BEEN WRITTEN UP MULTIPLE TIMES. I RPTED TO MY FBO THE NEAR OVERHEAT CONDITIONS I EXPERIENCED AT LEVEL/CRUISE ON A XCOUNTRY FLT THAT NIGHT. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO FLT STATUS WITHOUT ATTN AND RESOLUTION TO MAINT ISSUES. THE ACFT HAS A NEW ENG, HOWEVER, SECOND FBO MECHS STATED THAT THE SUPPORTING ENG COMPONENTS WERE SUBSTANDARD. MY FBO ORDERED NO REPAIRS FROM OTHER FBO, ADD OIL AND RETURN TO BASE. I RETURNED TO BASE. MY EMER SIT WAS TOTALLY PREVENTABLE. AS A RENTING PLT I EXPECT THE PLANES ON FLT LINE TO BE FLT READY WITH ALL MAINT ISSUES RESOLVED. I NOW HAVE SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT THE PLANES ON FLT LINE AT MY FBO.

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.