Narrative:

At FL330 approximately 80 NM northeast of btr got red engine oil warning on #1 engine. Oil pressure fluctuated between 20-50 psi. Captain complied with QRH procedure, reduced power to idle. Oil pressure now fluctuated from 30-45 psi but remained in green arc. Advised ATC and descended to FL190. At FL190 oil pressure was stable at 40-45 psi, and oil temperature stable at approximately 110 degrees C (oil temperature never out of green). No other warnings issued after initial power reduction. Captain conferred with company maintenance and flight control which took a rather long time. Engine was running and stable, good WX, fuel ok, and APU available. Decision made to continue to tlh (from over mob) for passenger convenience and since engine oil pressure and temperature were stable and knowing that there were several suitable landing airports along the route. Performed normal approach and landing with left engine at idle in tlh with outcome uneventful. Captain, first officer and maintenance concerned that left engine was available if needed for power. Maintenance control wanted the left engine kept at idle if possible. The checklist did not call for the engine to be shut down or a landing made at the nearest suitable airport. Crew and company coordination was good. However, the decision to continue was a long time coming (btr-mob). The situation was not pressing and there was no sense of urgency. Captain thought the onus was more on troubleshooting than planning. Since maintenance wanted the engine left at idle, in retrospect, I think the more conservative and appropriate decision would have been to land at the nearest suitable airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRATIC OIL PRESSURE INDICATIONS AND RED WARNING LIGHT PROVIDE A QUANDARY FOR CL65 CREW. AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH COMPANY DECIDE TO PROCEED TO DEST AT REDUCED THRUST ON AFFECTED ENG.

Narrative: AT FL330 APPROX 80 NM NE OF BTR GOT RED ENG OIL WARNING ON #1 ENG. OIL PRESSURE FLUCTUATED BTWN 20-50 PSI. CAPT COMPLIED WITH QRH PROC, REDUCED PWR TO IDLE. OIL PRESSURE NOW FLUCTUATED FROM 30-45 PSI BUT REMAINED IN GREEN ARC. ADVISED ATC AND DSNDED TO FL190. AT FL190 OIL PRESSURE WAS STABLE AT 40-45 PSI, AND OIL TEMP STABLE AT APPROX 110 DEGS C (OIL TEMP NEVER OUT OF GREEN). NO OTHER WARNINGS ISSUED AFTER INITIAL PWR REDUCTION. CAPT CONFERRED WITH COMPANY MAINT AND FLT CTL WHICH TOOK A RATHER LONG TIME. ENG WAS RUNNING AND STABLE, GOOD WX, FUEL OK, AND APU AVAILABLE. DECISION MADE TO CONTINUE TO TLH (FROM OVER MOB) FOR PAX CONVENIENCE AND SINCE ENG OIL PRESSURE AND TEMP WERE STABLE AND KNOWING THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL SUITABLE LNDG ARPTS ALONG THE RTE. PERFORMED NORMAL APCH AND LNDG WITH L ENG AT IDLE IN TLH WITH OUTCOME UNEVENTFUL. CAPT, FO AND MAINT CONCERNED THAT L ENG WAS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED FOR PWR. MAINT CTL WANTED THE L ENG KEPT AT IDLE IF POSSIBLE. THE CHKLIST DID NOT CALL FOR THE ENG TO BE SHUT DOWN OR A LNDG MADE AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT. CREW AND COMPANY COORD WAS GOOD. HOWEVER, THE DECISION TO CONTINUE WAS A LONG TIME COMING (BTR-MOB). THE SIT WAS NOT PRESSING AND THERE WAS NO SENSE OF URGENCY. CAPT THOUGHT THE ONUS WAS MORE ON TROUBLESHOOTING THAN PLANNING. SINCE MAINT WANTED THE ENG LEFT AT IDLE, IN RETROSPECT, I THINK THE MORE CONSERVATIVE AND APPROPRIATE DECISION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO LAND AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.

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.