Narrative:

After level off at cruise FL320; experienced a right engine oil pressure low light. Other engine readings normal except for zero oil quantity. Accomplished checklists and diverted to ZZZZ with engine in idle. Accomplished an overweight landing with crash fire rescue equipment standing by. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: first officer stated that the engine was intact. However; the aft engine section was soaked in oil. Maintenance determined that the rear oil seal failed. The turbine section was undamaged. Supplemental information from acn 648613: we had just leveled off at FL320 when the right oil press low light illuminated on the overhead panel. We checked the other instruments and determined that the oil pressure was low (approximately 33 psi) and the oil quantity was 0. The N2 was approximately 68% and the oil temperature was approximately 96 degrees celsius. We followed the emergency checklist procedures while descending to a lower altitude and retarded the affected throttle to idle. We declared an emergency and got vectors towards ZZZZ. We were overweight for landing (136800 pounds at landing) and decided to keep the right throttle at idle instead of shutting the engine down because we still had N2 and oil pressure. After landing; we shut the right engine down and taxied to the gate with the arff equipment following us. The right oil pressure stayed above 20 psi for the entire time of the emergency; which was approximately 20 mins from start to landing and engine shutdown. Callback conversation with reporter acn 648613 revealed the following information: captain stated the same basic facts as the first officer. The engine was intact with a very small quantity of oil remaining in the oil tank and the turbine section was dripping in oil.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 LOST OIL QUANTITY BECAUSE OF A REAR OIL SEAL FAILURE. THE CREW DECLARED AN EMER; DIVERTED; AND LANDED WITH THE ENG AT IDLE.

Narrative: AFTER LEVEL OFF AT CRUISE FL320; EXPERIENCED A R ENG OIL PRESSURE LOW LIGHT. OTHER ENG READINGS NORMAL EXCEPT FOR ZERO OIL QUANTITY. ACCOMPLISHED CHKLISTS AND DIVERTED TO ZZZZ WITH ENG IN IDLE. ACCOMPLISHED AN OVERWEIGHT LNDG WITH CFR STANDING BY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FO STATED THAT THE ENG WAS INTACT. HOWEVER; THE AFT ENG SECTION WAS SOAKED IN OIL. MAINT DETERMINED THAT THE REAR OIL SEAL FAILED. THE TURBINE SECTION WAS UNDAMAGED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 648613: WE HAD JUST LEVELED OFF AT FL320 WHEN THE R OIL PRESS LOW LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE OVERHEAD PANEL. WE CHKED THE OTHER INSTRUMENTS AND DETERMINED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE WAS LOW (APPROX 33 PSI) AND THE OIL QUANTITY WAS 0. THE N2 WAS APPROX 68% AND THE OIL TEMP WAS APPROX 96 DEGS CELSIUS. WE FOLLOWED THE EMER CHKLIST PROCS WHILE DSNDING TO A LOWER ALT AND RETARDED THE AFFECTED THROTTLE TO IDLE. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND GOT VECTORS TOWARDS ZZZZ. WE WERE OVERWEIGHT FOR LNDG (136800 LBS AT LNDG) AND DECIDED TO KEEP THE R THROTTLE AT IDLE INSTEAD OF SHUTTING THE ENG DOWN BECAUSE WE STILL HAD N2 AND OIL PRESSURE. AFTER LNDG; WE SHUT THE R ENG DOWN AND TAXIED TO THE GATE WITH THE ARFF EQUIP FOLLOWING US. THE R OIL PRESSURE STAYED ABOVE 20 PSI FOR THE ENTIRE TIME OF THE EMER; WHICH WAS APPROX 20 MINS FROM START TO LNDG AND ENG SHUTDOWN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 648613 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CAPT STATED THE SAME BASIC FACTS AS THE FO. THE ENG WAS INTACT WITH A VERY SMALL QUANTITY OF OIL REMAINING IN THE OIL TANK AND THE TURBINE SECTION WAS DRIPPING IN OIL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.