A DC9 crew, departing stl, experiencing low oil quantity on left engine, returned to stl.

Attributes
ACN	558062
Time
Date	200208
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 5400 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	558062
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : oil quantity guage other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Passing FL180, crew noticed oil quantity on left engine was at 4 quarts (stable). All other engine instruments on left engine were normal, oil temperature (115 degrees), oil psi (45-48). Crew reduced thrust on left engine and complied with communication procedures for 'oil quantity decreasing.' advised maintenance, dispatch, and declared an emergency with ATC. Received vector to stl and requested crews be standing by. Landed with no problems. Taxied to ramp. Maintenance advised crew that it was due to a blown seal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 CREW, DEPARTING STL, EXPERIENCING LOW OIL QUANTITY ON L ENG, RETURNED TO STL.

Narrative: PASSING FL180, CREW NOTICED OIL QUANTITY ON L ENG WAS AT 4 QUARTS (STABLE). ALL OTHER ENG INSTS ON L ENG WERE NORMAL, OIL TEMP (115 DEGS), OIL PSI (45-48). CREW REDUCED THRUST ON L ENG AND COMPLIED WITH COM PROCS FOR 'OIL QUANTITY DECREASING.' ADVISED MAINT, DISPATCH, AND DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC. RECEIVED VECTOR TO STL AND REQUESTED CREWS BE STANDING BY. LANDED WITH NO PROBS. TAXIED TO RAMP. MAINT ADVISED CREW THAT IT WAS DUE TO A BLOWN SEAL.

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.