Narrative:

The day began IFR bed to eri. I just had the plane checked out and new avionics installed. This trip was uneventful, while flying eri to osc phase 2, with 4 young children and my wife. During preflight everything tested okay. Takeoff was normal. Around 3000 ft I noticed little drops of oil coming from top of cowl and wondered if I put the dipstick in tight. I knew I did. I remembered I did, but I had no idea why the oil drops. Next thing I knew I was already 1300-1400 RPM on my horizontal electronic tachometer. But the engine sounded fine. I increased RPM and noticed little increase on the tachometer. I notified erie departure of my situation and asked if there was a near airport ahead of me (wbound). The controller politely, but forcefully said to turn around to erie and land. I felt both problems were minor, and the engine seemed to work fine. I turned around anyway and landed back at erie. An air carrier jet was forced to cancel his approach and delay landing so I could land at erie, PA. The controller declared the emergency for me. I believe this is a great example where controller, pilot can work together to make a decision so that the 'PIC' is not burdened with such a task in a time when the first thoughts are denial. The problem was a hot 'left' magneto capacitor. There was a small leak at the dipstick gasket. I did close the dipstick. Both problems repaired. What's the chance of both going wrong at the same time.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA CONSIDERS DIVERTING UNTIL ATC CTLR DECLARES EMER AND DIRECTS RPTR TO LAND AT ERI.

Narrative: THE DAY BEGAN IFR BED TO ERI. I JUST HAD THE PLANE CHKED OUT AND NEW AVIONICS INSTALLED. THIS TRIP WAS UNEVENTFUL, WHILE FLYING ERI TO OSC PHASE 2, WITH 4 YOUNG CHILDREN AND MY WIFE. DURING PREFLT EVERYTHING TESTED OKAY. TKOF WAS NORMAL. AROUND 3000 FT I NOTICED LITTLE DROPS OF OIL COMING FROM TOP OF COWL AND WONDERED IF I PUT THE DIPSTICK IN TIGHT. I KNEW I DID. I REMEMBERED I DID, BUT I HAD NO IDEA WHY THE OIL DROPS. NEXT THING I KNEW I WAS ALREADY 1300-1400 RPM ON MY HORIZ ELECTRONIC TACHOMETER. BUT THE ENG SOUNDED FINE. I INCREASED RPM AND NOTICED LITTLE INCREASE ON THE TACHOMETER. I NOTIFIED ERIE DEP OF MY SIT AND ASKED IF THERE WAS A NEAR ARPT AHEAD OF ME (WBOUND). THE CTLR POLITELY, BUT FORCEFULLY SAID TO TURN AROUND TO ERIE AND LAND. I FELT BOTH PROBS WERE MINOR, AND THE ENG SEEMED TO WORK FINE. I TURNED AROUND ANYWAY AND LANDED BACK AT ERIE. AN ACR JET WAS FORCED TO CANCEL HIS APCH AND DELAY LNDG SO I COULD LAND AT ERIE, PA. THE CTLR DECLARED THE EMER FOR ME. I BELIEVE THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE WHERE CTLR, PLT CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE A DECISION SO THAT THE 'PIC' IS NOT BURDENED WITH SUCH A TASK IN A TIME WHEN THE FIRST THOUGHTS ARE DENIAL. THE PROB WAS A HOT 'L' MAGNETO CAPACITOR. THERE WAS A SMALL LEAK AT THE DIPSTICK GASKET. I DID CLOSE THE DIPSTICK. BOTH PROBS REPAIRED. WHAT'S THE CHANCE OF BOTH GOING WRONG AT THE SAME TIME.

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.