Narrative:

I was the captain on a scheduled flight between pwm-lga. While we were en route, we observed a chip detect light illuminate momentarily. I instructed the first officer to review the abnormal checklist for a chip detect light on. He also briefed me on the required procedures for said abnormality. I then contacted maintenance control to report what had occurred. They said to follow the applicable checklist and if the light was off to continue and observe for abnormal engine indications. Approximately 75 mi from landing at lga the chip detect light illuminated and remained on. We followed the checklist for chip detect light on, it stated 'reduce power to the lowest level consistent with safe operation, monitor affected engine.' with all engine indications showing normal we continued to lga. I notified ATC that we were requesting priority handling due to an engine caution light on. The controller acknowledged our request but told us that he was declaring the situation as an emergency. I then told our maintenance department what had occurred and they took the aircraft to perform an engine inspection. They found no problems with the engine and related the chip detect light on as an indication problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SAAB 340B IN CRUSE AT 16000 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO AN ENG OIL CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ON CONTINUOUSLY.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON A SCHEDULED FLT BTWN PWM-LGA. WHILE WE WERE ENRTE, WE OBSERVED A CHIP DETECT LIGHT ILLUMINATE MOMENTARILY. I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO REVIEW THE ABNORMAL CHKLIST FOR A CHIP DETECT LIGHT ON. HE ALSO BRIEFED ME ON THE REQUIRED PROCS FOR SAID ABNORMALITY. I THEN CONTACTED MAINT CTL TO RPT WHAT HAD OCCURRED. THEY SAID TO FOLLOW THE APPLICABLE CHKLIST AND IF THE LIGHT WAS OFF TO CONTINUE AND OBSERVE FOR ABNORMAL ENG INDICATIONS. APPROX 75 MI FROM LNDG AT LGA THE CHIP DETECT LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ON. WE FOLLOWED THE CHKLIST FOR CHIP DETECT LIGHT ON, IT STATED 'REDUCE PWR TO THE LOWEST LEVEL CONSISTENT WITH SAFE OP, MONITOR AFFECTED ENG.' WITH ALL ENG INDICATIONS SHOWING NORMAL WE CONTINUED TO LGA. I NOTIFIED ATC THAT WE WERE REQUESTING PRIORITY HANDLING DUE TO AN ENG CAUTION LIGHT ON. THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED OUR REQUEST BUT TOLD US THAT HE WAS DECLARING THE SIT AS AN EMER. I THEN TOLD OUR MAINT DEPT WHAT HAD OCCURRED AND THEY TOOK THE ACFT TO PERFORM AN ENG INSPECTION. THEY FOUND NO PROBS WITH THE ENG AND RELATED THE CHIP DETECT LIGHT ON AS AN INDICATION PROB.

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.