A B737-300 in cruise at FL350 diverted due to right engine oil pressure indicating zero pressure wit...

Attributes
ACN	563360
Time
Date	200210
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc tower : apa.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	563360
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 : right eng low press light other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At FL350 about 100 mi east of cle en route to ord, I noticed the oil pressure gauge was indicating 0 psi. There was no oil pressure light and all other engine instruments were normal. I had the first officer check circuit breakers and they were not popped. While the first officer was checking the flight manual, I sent an ACARS message to maintenance controller with the information. I then did a call for dispatch. The first officer was flying. He showed me the irregular procedure calling for an engine shutdown. I elected to keep the engine running for the time being. Dispatch linked me to maintenance controller and maintenance controller said the engine would have seized by now if it were out of oil. I elected to operate the engine at idle and divert into cle which was 80 mi away. I made a flaps 30 degree landing at cle and used the right engine on short final. Landing was uneventful and the right engine was immediately shut down after clearing the runway. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated he made the decision to operate the engine at idle power since all engine indications were normal and no low oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The reporter said maintenance replaced the engine oil pressure transmitter, ran engine and tested ok.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 IN CRUISE AT FL350 DIVERTED DUE TO R ENG OIL PRESSURE INDICATING ZERO PRESSURE WITH NO LOW PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT. CAUSED BY FAILED OIL PRESSURE XMITTER.

Narrative: AT FL350 ABOUT 100 MI E OF CLE ENRTE TO ORD, I NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE WAS INDICATING 0 PSI. THERE WAS NO OIL PRESSURE LIGHT AND ALL OTHER ENG INSTS WERE NORMAL. I HAD THE FO CHK CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND THEY WERE NOT POPPED. WHILE THE FO WAS CHKING THE FLT MANUAL, I SENT AN ACARS MESSAGE TO MAINT CTLR WITH THE INFO. I THEN DID A CALL FOR DISPATCH. THE FO WAS FLYING. HE SHOWED ME THE IRREGULAR PROC CALLING FOR AN ENG SHUTDOWN. I ELECTED TO KEEP THE ENG RUNNING FOR THE TIME BEING. DISPATCH LINKED ME TO MAINT CTLR AND MAINT CTLR SAID THE ENG WOULD HAVE SEIZED BY NOW IF IT WERE OUT OF OIL. I ELECTED TO OPERATE THE ENG AT IDLE AND DIVERT INTO CLE WHICH WAS 80 MI AWAY. I MADE A FLAPS 30 DEG LNDG AT CLE AND USED THE R ENG ON SHORT FINAL. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND THE R ENG WAS IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN AFTER CLRING THE RWY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE MADE THE DECISION TO OPERATE THE ENG AT IDLE PWR SINCE ALL ENG INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL AND NO LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE RPTR SAID MAINT REPLACED THE ENG OIL PRESSURE XMITTER, RAN ENG AND TESTED OK.

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.

A B737-300 in cruise at FL350 diverted due to right engine oil pressure indicating zero pressure with no low pressure warning light. Caused by failed oil pressure transmitter.