Be-40 crew had erratic, and then low oil pressure indication.

Attributes
ACN	602910
Time
Date	200312
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vny.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Beechjet 400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7600 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	602910
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : oil pressure indication other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was the PNF in the right seat of a positioning leg. We had just completed our 'trend monitoring' paperwork, about 50 mins into a 60 min flight to sna. We were just issued a descent when we noticed the right oil pressure gauge was vibrating in about 5 psi increments in its normal position of 80 psi. We had no other indications of anything abnormal. We doublechked that the right oil pressure low annunciator light tested properly. It was fine. We then referred to the emergency checklist to be ready for a low oil pressure situation if one should arise. The oil pressure gauge continued to vibrate over the next several mins showing a slow decrease in pressure. As the checklist instructs, when the pressure gets to between 40-60 psi, the thrust levers were reduced to a lower setting. If the pressure continues to decrease below 40 psi, which it did, the checklist instructs to perform a precautionary engine shutdown. We completed the shutdown and asked for vectors to vny. Vny was determined to be the closest suitable airport with enough runway (considering a partial flaps landing may be appropriate (per the checklist)), and high enough WX (we were above an overcast with no visible breaks) to allow acceptable safety. I collected the appropriate airport charts and advised the PF that ATIS was current (2000 ft overcast, 10 mi visibility, light winds). We briefed and set up the single engine ILS approach and felt comfortable in our procedures. We were then turned over to the last socal frequency that would turn us over to vny tower. We advised this controller that 'we had to perform a precautionary engine shutdown, and were going to fly the approach single engine. We did not require any priority handling or emergency services at this time, but just wanted to keep ATC advised of our situation.' they confirmed our radio call, asked 'for our purposes, which engine was shut down?' I replied 'the right engine.' they turned us over to vny tower who cleared us to land. Approach and landing were uneventful. We exited the runway and taxied to a maintenance facility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE-40 CREW HAD ERRATIC, AND THEN LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATION.

Narrative: I WAS THE PNF IN THE R SEAT OF A POSITIONING LEG. WE HAD JUST COMPLETED OUR 'TREND MONITORING' PAPERWORK, ABOUT 50 MINS INTO A 60 MIN FLT TO SNA. WE WERE JUST ISSUED A DSCNT WHEN WE NOTICED THE R OIL PRESSURE GAUGE WAS VIBRATING IN ABOUT 5 PSI INCREMENTS IN ITS NORMAL POS OF 80 PSI. WE HAD NO OTHER INDICATIONS OF ANYTHING ABNORMAL. WE DOUBLECHKED THAT THE R OIL PRESSURE LOW ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT TESTED PROPERLY. IT WAS FINE. WE THEN REFERRED TO THE EMER CHKLIST TO BE READY FOR A LOW OIL PRESSURE SIT IF ONE SHOULD ARISE. THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE CONTINUED TO VIBRATE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MINS SHOWING A SLOW DECREASE IN PRESSURE. AS THE CHKLIST INSTRUCTS, WHEN THE PRESSURE GETS TO BTWN 40-60 PSI, THE THRUST LEVERS WERE REDUCED TO A LOWER SETTING. IF THE PRESSURE CONTINUES TO DECREASE BELOW 40 PSI, WHICH IT DID, THE CHKLIST INSTRUCTS TO PERFORM A PRECAUTIONARY ENG SHUTDOWN. WE COMPLETED THE SHUTDOWN AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO VNY. VNY WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE CLOSEST SUITABLE ARPT WITH ENOUGH RWY (CONSIDERING A PARTIAL FLAPS LNDG MAY BE APPROPRIATE (PER THE CHKLIST)), AND HIGH ENOUGH WX (WE WERE ABOVE AN OVCST WITH NO VISIBLE BREAKS) TO ALLOW ACCEPTABLE SAFETY. I COLLECTED THE APPROPRIATE ARPT CHARTS AND ADVISED THE PF THAT ATIS WAS CURRENT (2000 FT OVCST, 10 MI VISIBILITY, LIGHT WINDS). WE BRIEFED AND SET UP THE SINGLE ENG ILS APCH AND FELT COMFORTABLE IN OUR PROCS. WE WERE THEN TURNED OVER TO THE LAST SOCAL FREQ THAT WOULD TURN US OVER TO VNY TWR. WE ADVISED THIS CTLR THAT 'WE HAD TO PERFORM A PRECAUTIONARY ENG SHUTDOWN, AND WERE GOING TO FLY THE APCH SINGLE ENG. WE DID NOT REQUIRE ANY PRIORITY HANDLING OR EMER SVCS AT THIS TIME, BUT JUST WANTED TO KEEP ATC ADVISED OF OUR SIT.' THEY CONFIRMED OUR RADIO CALL, ASKED 'FOR OUR PURPOSES, WHICH ENG WAS SHUT DOWN?' I REPLIED 'THE R ENG.' THEY TURNED US OVER TO VNY TWR WHO CLRED US TO LAND. APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. WE EXITED THE RWY AND TAXIED TO A MAINT FACILITY.

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.