An AT72 crew found themselves in WX with a failing engine at 13000 ft over southern, GA.

Attributes
ACN	518661
Time
Date	200107
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mcn.vortac
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence Thunderstorm Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 72
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 77
ASRS Report	518661
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 425
ASRS Report	518078
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : oil press light other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

In cruise to gnv at 13000 ft, we were cleared direct to tay from just south of mcn. Approximately 30 mi north of tay, we were informed by ZJX of a line of thunderstorms from craig all the way across florida to the gulf coast. We were also advised by ZJX that it was a very solid line and no other aircraft were able to get through in the last hour or so. We determined from ZJX that our best course of action would be to fly north of valdosta and try gnv from the west. We turned and flew to valdosta and discovered WX and thunderstorms over valdosta. We turned north to try and go around the WX. Shortly thereafter, the first officer noticed the oil pressure light for #2 engine flashing on and off. We evaluated the other engine instruments and determined that the engine was going bad. We turned west and continued for gnv for a short time. The oil light started flashing at a faster rate so we decided to get out of the WX and find a suitable airport to land on. We requested from ZJX vectors to albany and were given 010 degrees. That heading was taking us directly into WX. We then got the crc and mw for a split second and decided that we needed to land as soon as possible. ZJX informed us that ays was 35 mi to the east and the WX was clear. We turned for ays, received approach specifications and prepared for landing. We had gotten the crc and mw 2 other times very briefly. We were also experiencing radio problems which added to the confusion and sense of urgency. After landing, the crc and mw came on continuously for about 15 seconds. We brought the aircraft to a normal stop and deboarded. Supplemental information from acn 518078: captain decided to divert to ays, GA, and make precautionary landing even though we had no performance data or approach plates for this airport. We got the approach information for ays from ZJX. It appeared the engine (#2 engine = right) had to be replaced due to metal in engine. We didn't have to shut down the engine in-flight. We did not want to shut down because of WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AT72 CREW FOUND THEMSELVES IN WX WITH A FAILING ENG AT 13000 FT OVER SOUTHERN, GA.

Narrative: IN CRUISE TO GNV AT 13000 FT, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO TAY FROM JUST S OF MCN. APPROX 30 MI N OF TAY, WE WERE INFORMED BY ZJX OF A LINE OF TSTMS FROM CRAIG ALL THE WAY ACROSS FLORIDA TO THE GULF COAST. WE WERE ALSO ADVISED BY ZJX THAT IT WAS A VERY SOLID LINE AND NO OTHER ACFT WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH IN THE LAST HR OR SO. WE DETERMINED FROM ZJX THAT OUR BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO FLY N OF VALDOSTA AND TRY GNV FROM THE W. WE TURNED AND FLEW TO VALDOSTA AND DISCOVERED WX AND TSTMS OVER VALDOSTA. WE TURNED N TO TRY AND GO AROUND THE WX. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE FO NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT FOR #2 ENG FLASHING ON AND OFF. WE EVALUATED THE OTHER ENG INSTS AND DETERMINED THAT THE ENG WAS GOING BAD. WE TURNED W AND CONTINUED FOR GNV FOR A SHORT TIME. THE OIL LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AT A FASTER RATE SO WE DECIDED TO GET OUT OF THE WX AND FIND A SUITABLE ARPT TO LAND ON. WE REQUESTED FROM ZJX VECTORS TO ALBANY AND WERE GIVEN 010 DEGS. THAT HDG WAS TAKING US DIRECTLY INTO WX. WE THEN GOT THE CRC AND MW FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED TO LAND ASAP. ZJX INFORMED US THAT AYS WAS 35 MI TO THE E AND THE WX WAS CLR. WE TURNED FOR AYS, RECEIVED APCH SPECS AND PREPARED FOR LNDG. WE HAD GOTTEN THE CRC AND MW 2 OTHER TIMES VERY BRIEFLY. WE WERE ALSO EXPERIENCING RADIO PROBS WHICH ADDED TO THE CONFUSION AND SENSE OF URGENCY. AFTER LNDG, THE CRC AND MW CAME ON CONTINUOUSLY FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS. WE BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A NORMAL STOP AND DEBOARDED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 518078: CAPT DECIDED TO DIVERT TO AYS, GA, AND MAKE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG EVEN THOUGH WE HAD NO PERFORMANCE DATA OR APCH PLATES FOR THIS ARPT. WE GOT THE APCH INFO FOR AYS FROM ZJX. IT APPEARED THE ENG (#2 ENG = R) HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO METAL IN ENG. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE ENG INFLT. WE DID NOT WANT TO SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF WX.

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.