A B737-200 on leveloff at FL230 declared an emergency and diverted due to the #2 engine oil filter b...

Attributes
ACN	424690
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zzz
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 7500
ASRS Report	424690
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other

Narrative:

At leveloff (FL230) #2 engine oil bypass illuminated. Followed QRH, which required engine shutdown. Declared emergency and diverted to ZZZ. Conducted southeast approach and landing. This is the second time this aircraft (this engine) was shut down in last 2 months. This company has had 5 in-flight engine shutdowns in last 2 months. (Airline has xa airplanes.) note: both crew experienced high frequency vibration in thrust lever, fuel shutoff lever, and airframe. Mechanics found metal contaminates in oil filter. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the heavy maintenance on the engines is performed by an outside contract engine rebuilder at the lowest price possible. The reporter said the engines were purchased outside the country and were high time engines and the engine components were also farmed out to a low bidder. The reporter said the air carrier has suffered 5 uncontained turbine failures since spring of 1997 with 5 engine shutdowns for component failure in the last 60 days. The reporter said the maintenance budget is cut and the bottom line looks good but some attention must be given to safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 ON LEVELOFF AT FL230 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO THE #2 ENG OIL FILTER BYPASS LIGHT ILLUMINATED CAUSED BY A FAILED PRESSURE SWITCH.

Narrative: AT LEVELOFF (FL230) #2 ENG OIL BYPASS ILLUMINATED. FOLLOWED QRH, WHICH REQUIRED ENG SHUTDOWN. DECLARED EMER AND DIVERTED TO ZZZ. CONDUCTED SE APCH AND LNDG. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS ACFT (THIS ENG) WAS SHUT DOWN IN LAST 2 MONTHS. THIS COMPANY HAS HAD 5 INFLT ENG SHUTDOWNS IN LAST 2 MONTHS. (AIRLINE HAS XA AIRPLANES.) NOTE: BOTH CREW EXPERIENCED HIGH FREQ VIBRATION IN THRUST LEVER, FUEL SHUTOFF LEVER, AND AIRFRAME. MECHS FOUND METAL CONTAMINATES IN OIL FILTER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE HVY MAINT ON THE ENGS IS PERFORMED BY AN OUTSIDE CONTRACT ENG REBUILDER AT THE LOWEST PRICE POSSIBLE. THE RPTR SAID THE ENGS WERE PURCHASED OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY AND WERE HIGH TIME ENGS AND THE ENG COMPONENTS WERE ALSO FARMED OUT TO A LOW BIDDER. THE RPTR SAID THE ACR HAS SUFFERED 5 UNCONTAINED TURBINE FAILURES SINCE SPRING OF 1997 WITH 5 ENG SHUTDOWNS FOR COMPONENT FAILURE IN THE LAST 60 DAYS. THE RPTR SAID THE MAINT BUDGET IS CUT AND THE BOTTOM LINE LOOKS GOOD BUT SOME ATTN MUST BE GIVEN TO SAFETY.

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.

A B737-200 on leveloff at FL230 declared an emergency and diverted due to the #2 engine oil filter bypass light illuminated caused by a failed pressure switch.