Narrative:

Normal takeoff was performed. At about 200 ft AGL, tower called and told me the aircraft was trailing smoke in a big way. We advised we wanted to land as soon as possible. Tower cleared us to land any runway. We turned left and landed on runway 26. Offending end was shut down once on the ground. Oil leak was due to a cracked o-ring in the right propeller governor, no way to check on preflight. If this happens to me again, I will not turn as quickly to land. I believe I acted somewhat hastily to turn to land. Engine was still producing power and better to gain altitude and lose the engine than stall on base-to-final because I turned too sharply to make the runway. Once I was cleared to land, tower confirmed for me that my gear was down. This is great. In an emergency type situation, the pilot's attention may not be on 'normal' things like the gear. Also, the fact that the tower controller noticed the smoke in the first place is appreciated. It would be great if all tower controllers did what the cxy controllers did for me in this case. As PIC, I will act a little more deliberately next time. The landing here was successful, but could have been better and safer if I took more time. No need to rush.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AEROSTAR 601P CAPT RETURNED TO LAND AT CXY AFTER TWR INFORMED HIM OF SMOKE TRAILING FROM HIS ACFT.

Narrative: NORMAL TKOF WAS PERFORMED. AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL, TWR CALLED AND TOLD ME THE ACFT WAS TRAILING SMOKE IN A BIG WAY. WE ADVISED WE WANTED TO LAND ASAP. TWR CLRED US TO LAND ANY RWY. WE TURNED L AND LANDED ON RWY 26. OFFENDING END WAS SHUT DOWN ONCE ON THE GND. OIL LEAK WAS DUE TO A CRACKED O-RING IN THE R PROP GOVERNOR, NO WAY TO CHK ON PREFLT. IF THIS HAPPENS TO ME AGAIN, I WILL NOT TURN AS QUICKLY TO LAND. I BELIEVE I ACTED SOMEWHAT HASTILY TO TURN TO LAND. ENG WAS STILL PRODUCING PWR AND BETTER TO GAIN ALT AND LOSE THE ENG THAN STALL ON BASE-TO-FINAL BECAUSE I TURNED TOO SHARPLY TO MAKE THE RWY. ONCE I WAS CLRED TO LAND, TWR CONFIRMED FOR ME THAT MY GEAR WAS DOWN. THIS IS GREAT. IN AN EMER TYPE SIT, THE PLT'S ATTN MAY NOT BE ON 'NORMAL' THINGS LIKE THE GEAR. ALSO, THE FACT THAT THE TWR CTLR NOTICED THE SMOKE IN THE FIRST PLACE IS APPRECIATED. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF ALL TWR CTLRS DID WHAT THE CXY CTLRS DID FOR ME IN THIS CASE. AS PIC, I WILL ACT A LITTLE MORE DELIBERATELY NEXT TIME. THE LNDG HERE WAS SUCCESSFUL, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER AND SAFER IF I TOOK MORE TIME. NO NEED TO RUSH.

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.