Narrative:

At FL330, ZFW directed me to 'go direct III VOR.' as I turned the aircraft, I noticed the #3 engine (727 aircraft) low oil pressure light flickering. I asked the flight engineer to look at the engine gauges on his panel. He said quantity was going down, and pressure decreasing slightly. I asked for the checklist to be run, and all crew members were in agreement to shut the engine down. I advised ATC we were working on a problem, and requested FL250. I gave control of the plane to the first officer, while I worked with the F/east on securing the engine. We did shutdown (precautionary) #3 and ran all associated checklists. The plane was flying with no difficulty, and we maintained a speed of mach .76 (ground speed was 440 KTS). I established a phone patch with operations, and explained with 14 thoroughbred race horses onboard, there were a limited amount of airports with horse ramps to get the horses off. Love field was the closest, with our destination of shreveport a short distance after dallas. The aircraft was flying very well -- at no time was the safety of the aircraft and all onboard ever jeopardized. Operations agreed with me -- as long as no further problems occurred, continue with our plan. As we neared dallas, the crew decided to continue on to shreveport, where we landed with no incident. As I was carrying 'live' cargo, dallas was the closest 'suitable' airport with a horse ramp. I realize this, but with no further problems, and with the safety of everyone my top priority, I felt continuing on in this particular situation was the best plan.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CARGO HORSE CARRIER PIC CONTINUES ON PAST THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT AT DAL TO DEST ARPT, SHV, AFTER HAVING LOST 1 OF 3 ENGS TO AN OIL INDICATION PROB 45 MI E OF LBB, TX.

Narrative: AT FL330, ZFW DIRECTED ME TO 'GO DIRECT III VOR.' AS I TURNED THE ACFT, I NOTICED THE #3 ENG (727 ACFT) LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT FLICKERING. I ASKED THE FLT ENGINEER TO LOOK AT THE ENG GAUGES ON HIS PANEL. HE SAID QUANTITY WAS GOING DOWN, AND PRESSURE DECREASING SLIGHTLY. I ASKED FOR THE CHKLIST TO BE RUN, AND ALL CREW MEMBERS WERE IN AGREEMENT TO SHUT THE ENG DOWN. I ADVISED ATC WE WERE WORKING ON A PROB, AND REQUESTED FL250. I GAVE CTL OF THE PLANE TO THE FO, WHILE I WORKED WITH THE F/E ON SECURING THE ENG. WE DID SHUTDOWN (PRECAUTIONARY) #3 AND RAN ALL ASSOCIATED CHKLISTS. THE PLANE WAS FLYING WITH NO DIFFICULTY, AND WE MAINTAINED A SPD OF MACH .76 (GND SPD WAS 440 KTS). I ESTABLISHED A PHONE PATCH WITH OPS, AND EXPLAINED WITH 14 THOROUGHBRED RACE HORSES ONBOARD, THERE WERE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF ARPTS WITH HORSE RAMPS TO GET THE HORSES OFF. LOVE FIELD WAS THE CLOSEST, WITH OUR DEST OF SHREVEPORT A SHORT DISTANCE AFTER DALLAS. THE ACFT WAS FLYING VERY WELL -- AT NO TIME WAS THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT AND ALL ONBOARD EVER JEOPARDIZED. OPS AGREED WITH ME -- AS LONG AS NO FURTHER PROBS OCCURRED, CONTINUE WITH OUR PLAN. AS WE NEARED DALLAS, THE CREW DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON TO SHREVEPORT, WHERE WE LANDED WITH NO INCIDENT. AS I WAS CARRYING 'LIVE' CARGO, DALLAS WAS THE CLOSEST 'SUITABLE' ARPT WITH A HORSE RAMP. I REALIZE THIS, BUT WITH NO FURTHER PROBS, AND WITH THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE MY TOP PRIORITY, I FELT CONTINUING ON IN THIS PARTICULAR SIT WAS THE BEST PLAN.

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.