A DC9 on descent at 10500 ft declared an emergency and diverted due to loss of left engine oil pressure and quantity. Caused by gearbox screw backing out. Engine changed.

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Attributes
ACN	518397
Time
Date	200107
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude ground : takeoff roll
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	518397
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : left engine press & qty ind. other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Left engine oil quantity decreased to 3 quarts. 30 mi north of atl, I elected to declare an emergency and divert to atl. 15 mi north of atl we shut down the left engine. YYY dispatch and maintenance control gave me insight of the 'big picture.' maintenance explained the engine can run for up to 9 mins without oil. We idled the engine till it got to the red radial then we caged the engine. ATC gave us priority handling to ZZZ. The fire trucks were standing by. We landed on the long runway and exited almost at the end. We cleared the active runway, set the brakes, and the trucks inspected the left engine. We got the ok to taxi to the ramp. Tried to taxi, but the left #1 of 4 brakes locked. Our maintenance department proceeded to tug us to the gate with the #1 brake unlocked. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated, when on the gate, maintenance added 16 quarts of oil and ran the engine. The reporter said maintenance found a spring loaded adjustment screw backed out from the oil pressure regulator located on the rear of the gearbox. The reporter said the airplane was removed from service and the engine replaced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 ON DSCNT AT 10500 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO LOSS OF L ENG OIL PRESSURE AND QUANTITY. CAUSED BY GEARBOX SCREW BACKING OUT. ENG CHANGED.

Narrative: L ENG OIL QUANTITY DECREASED TO 3 QUARTS. 30 MI N OF ATL, I ELECTED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND DIVERT TO ATL. 15 MI N OF ATL WE SHUT DOWN THE L ENG. YYY DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL GAVE ME INSIGHT OF THE 'BIG PICTURE.' MAINT EXPLAINED THE ENG CAN RUN FOR UP TO 9 MINS WITHOUT OIL. WE IDLED THE ENG TILL IT GOT TO THE RED RADIAL THEN WE CAGED THE ENG. ATC GAVE US PRIORITY HANDLING TO ZZZ. THE FIRE TRUCKS WERE STANDING BY. WE LANDED ON THE LONG RWY AND EXITED ALMOST AT THE END. WE CLRED THE ACTIVE RWY, SET THE BRAKES, AND THE TRUCKS INSPECTED THE L ENG. WE GOT THE OK TO TAXI TO THE RAMP. TRIED TO TAXI, BUT THE L #1 OF 4 BRAKES LOCKED. OUR MAINT DEPT PROCEEDED TO TUG US TO THE GATE WITH THE #1 BRAKE UNLOCKED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED, WHEN ON THE GATE, MAINT ADDED 16 QUARTS OF OIL AND RAN THE ENG. THE RPTR SAID MAINT FOUND A SPRING LOADED ADJUSTMENT SCREW BACKED OUT FROM THE OIL PRESSURE REGULATOR LOCATED ON THE REAR OF THE GEARBOX. THE RPTR SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS REMOVED FROM SVC AND THE ENG REPLACED.

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.