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With oil on the windshield and pressure falling a PA28R-201T pilot elects to land at a controled airport with services that were 8 mi further away than the nearest airport available. He was criticized by the FAA after a successful arrival. The oil filler cap was missing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 472845 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200005 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : hef.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| ASRS Report | 472845 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : oil press gage other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
While flying overhead casanova VOR in a piper turbo arrow III, I noticed that oil was coming out from the top of the cowling and splattering on the windshield of my airplane. I then looked at my oil pressure gauge and saw it dropping. I then radioed the manassas tower, declaring an emergency. At that point I had 3 options that I was given by ATC, culpepper, warrenton, and manassas. I chose manassas, seeing as that was the airport I knew best, the only controled airport, and where I would be most likely to get the assistance I might require (fire trucks and rescue vehicles). I did land the airplane safely. However, I was considered in error by the FAA for not having landed at the closest airport. The cause for the oil leak was that the oil filler cap had come off due to rust and corrosion on the inside of it.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WITH OIL ON THE WINDSHIELD AND PRESSURE FALLING A PA28R-201T PLT ELECTS TO LAND AT A CTLED ARPT WITH SVCS THAT WERE 8 MI FURTHER AWAY THAN THE NEAREST ARPT AVAILABLE. HE WAS CRITICIZED BY THE FAA AFTER A SUCCESSFUL ARR. THE OIL FILLER CAP WAS MISSING.
Narrative: WHILE FLYING OVERHEAD CASANOVA VOR IN A PIPER TURBO ARROW III, I NOTICED THAT OIL WAS COMING OUT FROM THE TOP OF THE COWLING AND SPLATTERING ON THE WINDSHIELD OF MY AIRPLANE. I THEN LOOKED AT MY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE AND SAW IT DROPPING. I THEN RADIOED THE MANASSAS TWR, DECLARING AN EMER. AT THAT POINT I HAD 3 OPTIONS THAT I WAS GIVEN BY ATC, CULPEPPER, WARRENTON, AND MANASSAS. I CHOSE MANASSAS, SEEING AS THAT WAS THE ARPT I KNEW BEST, THE ONLY CTLED ARPT, AND WHERE I WOULD BE MOST LIKELY TO GET THE ASSISTANCE I MIGHT REQUIRE (FIRE TRUCKS AND RESCUE VEHICLES). I DID LAND THE AIRPLANE SAFELY. HOWEVER, I WAS CONSIDERED IN ERROR BY THE FAA FOR NOT HAVING LANDED AT THE CLOSEST ARPT. THE CAUSE FOR THE OIL LEAK WAS THAT THE OIL FILLER CAP HAD COME OFF DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION ON THE INSIDE OF IT.
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.