Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan from san jose international, ca, to eagle, co, jan/thu/97, I experienced an excessive oil leak from the left engine of my seneca ii. I was flying at FL190 on V244 past milford VOR, ut, and elected to and subsequently safely landed at grand junction, co, overflying several airports. At the time I was VFR on top with a broken layer below at about 12000 ft. My options were to land at milford, or several smaller airports en route, however, using my PIC authority/authorized, I elected to fly to grand junction. I would like to explain my reasoning if any administrative action is anticipated for overflying the nearest airport when flying with 1 engine secured. After securing the left engine, I had trimmed the airplane appropriately but because of the altitude, started a gradual descent. My options were several airports in the vicinity however, I elected to fly to grand junction for several reasons. There was a cloud deck below, and though broken, I would have had to make an IFR approach to milford, ut, which had only a non precision approach. I had been to milford the yr before and I did not have radar coverage that would have helped guide me to the final approach fix. I was familiar with grand junction. I knew the topography and that radar was available to guide me to the final approach fix of a precision approach. This, with a 10000 ft runway would give this pilot extra margin for error. In short, I felt it was safer to fly a stable airplane with 1 engine secured to a more appropriate airport, than to land at a closer unfamiliar airport with a shorter runway, no radar control and a non precision approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT IN PA34-200T OVERFLIES NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT NEAR MLF, UT, AND CONTINUES TO LAND AT GJT, CO. INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN FROM EXCESSIVE OIL LEAK IN #1 ENG.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM SAN JOSE INTL, CA, TO EAGLE, CO, JAN/THU/97, I EXPERIENCED AN EXCESSIVE OIL LEAK FROM THE L ENG OF MY SENECA II. I WAS FLYING AT FL190 ON V244 PAST MILFORD VOR, UT, AND ELECTED TO AND SUBSEQUENTLY SAFELY LANDED AT GRAND JUNCTION, CO, OVERFLYING SEVERAL ARPTS. AT THE TIME I WAS VFR ON TOP WITH A BROKEN LAYER BELOW AT ABOUT 12000 FT. MY OPTIONS WERE TO LAND AT MILFORD, OR SEVERAL SMALLER ARPTS ENRTE, HOWEVER, USING MY PIC AUTH, I ELECTED TO FLY TO GRAND JUNCTION. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN MY REASONING IF ANY ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION IS ANTICIPATED FOR OVERFLYING THE NEAREST ARPT WHEN FLYING WITH 1 ENG SECURED. AFTER SECURING THE L ENG, I HAD TRIMMED THE AIRPLANE APPROPRIATELY BUT BECAUSE OF THE ALT, STARTED A GRADUAL DSCNT. MY OPTIONS WERE SEVERAL ARPTS IN THE VICINITY HOWEVER, I ELECTED TO FLY TO GRAND JUNCTION FOR SEVERAL REASONS. THERE WAS A CLOUD DECK BELOW, AND THOUGH BROKEN, I WOULD HAVE HAD TO MAKE AN IFR APCH TO MILFORD, UT, WHICH HAD ONLY A NON PRECISION APCH. I HAD BEEN TO MILFORD THE YR BEFORE AND I DID NOT HAVE RADAR COVERAGE THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED GUIDE ME TO THE FINAL APCH FIX. I WAS FAMILIAR WITH GRAND JUNCTION. I KNEW THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THAT RADAR WAS AVAILABLE TO GUIDE ME TO THE FINAL APCH FIX OF A PRECISION APCH. THIS, WITH A 10000 FT RWY WOULD GIVE THIS PLT EXTRA MARGIN FOR ERROR. IN SHORT, I FELT IT WAS SAFER TO FLY A STABLE AIRPLANE WITH 1 ENG SECURED TO A MORE APPROPRIATE ARPT, THAN TO LAND AT A CLOSER UNFAMILIAR ARPT WITH A SHORTER RWY, NO RADAR CTL AND A NON PRECISION APCH.

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.