<< >> NASA ASRS Report 580461, April 2003

Precautionary diversion and landing by a C172 CFI when he notes a major oil leak outside of the aircraft, near to and landing at mmu, nj.

Attributes
ACN	580461
Time
Date	200304
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mmu.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon tower : pbi.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	controller non radar : 15 controller radar : 14 flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	580461
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During cruise I experienced a loss of oil pressure and oil. Oil was leaking on the windshield and down the left side of the plane. Proceeded to the nearest airport (morristown, nj) for a precautionary landing. Discovered that the cap on the filler tube had become loose. Old gasket was compressed and allowed the cap to move in response to engine vibration. Mechanic replaced the seal, added oil and cleaned up the plane. I continued my flight with no further incident. Suggest that pilots get the filler cap seal replaced whenever the cap feels loose or does not grip tightly enough.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRECAUTIONARY DIVERSION AND LNDG BY A C172 CFI WHEN HE NOTES A MAJOR OIL LEAK OUTSIDE OF THE ACFT, NEAR TO AND LNDG AT MMU, NJ.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND OIL. OIL WAS LEAKING ON THE WINDSHIELD AND DOWN THE L SIDE OF THE PLANE. PROCEEDED TO THE NEAREST ARPT (MORRISTOWN, NJ) FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. DISCOVERED THAT THE CAP ON THE FILLER TUBE HAD BECOME LOOSE. OLD GASKET WAS COMPRESSED AND ALLOWED THE CAP TO MOVE IN RESPONSE TO ENG VIBRATION. MECH REPLACED THE SEAL, ADDED OIL AND CLEANED UP THE PLANE. I CONTINUED MY FLT WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. SUGGEST THAT PLTS GET THE FILLER CAP SEAL REPLACED WHENEVER THE CAP FEELS LOOSE OR DOES NOT GRIP TIGHTLY ENOUGH.

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.