Narrative:

60 mi north of bwi, my first officer noticed the #2 engine oil temperature in the red. I noticed temperature at top of yellow and continued to monitor temperature as it read approximately 100 degrees then climbed to 115 degree. The first officer and I discussed the possibility of shutting the #2 engine down. We decreased torque on the #2 engine and noticed a decrease in temperature to 100 degrees. The temperature continued decreasing to approximately 90 degrees. We then increased torque on the #2 engine to 80 degrees. The temperature appeared to stabilize for a couple of mins and then elevated rapidly to 115 degrees. I then declared an emergency with bwi approach and we proceeded to shut #2 down. It should be noted oil pressure and all other engine indicators were within normal range. I requested approach to notify company. I notified the passenger of the precautionary shutdown and assured them of a normal landing. I then notified operations of the emergency and gates were changed at that time from xa to gate xb. I requested tower have the emergency vehicles standing by and first officer landed the aircraft without incident on runway 28. My decision to shut down the engine was predicated on the possibility of the engine seizing up during the most busy time of our arrival. I felt the pressure gauge may have not been accurate even though it read in the green. Supplemental information from acn 517711: the problem did turn out to be what we expected. It was due to a bad sensor in the #2 nacelle. It should also be noted that there is no checklist for high oil temperature. When the needle hits redline, we are to shut it down.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DH8A CREW HAD HIGH OIL TEMP RESULTING IN INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN IN BWI CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: 60 MI N OF BWI, MY FO NOTICED THE #2 ENG OIL TEMP IN THE RED. I NOTICED TEMP AT TOP OF YELLOW AND CONTINUED TO MONITOR TEMP AS IT READ APPROX 100 DEGS THEN CLBED TO 115 DEG. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF SHUTTING THE #2 ENG DOWN. WE DECREASED TORQUE ON THE #2 ENG AND NOTICED A DECREASE IN TEMP TO 100 DEGS. THE TEMP CONTINUED DECREASING TO APPROX 90 DEGS. WE THEN INCREASED TORQUE ON THE #2 ENG TO 80 DEGS. THE TEMP APPEARED TO STABILIZE FOR A COUPLE OF MINS AND THEN ELEVATED RAPIDLY TO 115 DEGS. I THEN DECLARED AN EMER WITH BWI APCH AND WE PROCEEDED TO SHUT #2 DOWN. IT SHOULD BE NOTED OIL PRESSURE AND ALL OTHER ENG INDICATORS WERE WITHIN NORMAL RANGE. I REQUESTED APCH TO NOTIFY COMPANY. I NOTIFIED THE PAX OF THE PRECAUTIONARY SHUTDOWN AND ASSURED THEM OF A NORMAL LNDG. I THEN NOTIFIED OPS OF THE EMER AND GATES WERE CHANGED AT THAT TIME FROM XA TO GATE XB. I REQUESTED TWR HAVE THE EMER VEHICLES STANDING BY AND FO LANDED THE ACFT WITHOUT INCIDENT ON RWY 28. MY DECISION TO SHUT DOWN THE ENG WAS PREDICATED ON THE POSSIBILITY OF THE ENG SEIZING UP DURING THE MOST BUSY TIME OF OUR ARR. I FELT THE PRESSURE GAUGE MAY HAVE NOT BEEN ACCURATE EVEN THOUGH IT READ IN THE GREEN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 517711: THE PROB DID TURN OUT TO BE WHAT WE EXPECTED. IT WAS DUE TO A BAD SENSOR IN THE #2 NACELLE. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THERE IS NO CHKLIST FOR HIGH OIL TEMP. WHEN THE NEEDLE HITS REDLINE, WE ARE TO SHUT IT DOWN.

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.