A C210 on approach at 2200 ft experienced smoke in the cockpit due to improperly routed oil line.

Attributes
ACN	685141
Time
Date	200601
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : n/a
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 2003 flight time type : 730
ASRS Report	685141
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Cabin filled with smoke. Was cleared for ILS approach and vectored to intercept localizer. Was too high and fast to put gear down and undershot IAP altitude by 250 ft. Tower called immediately and came back up to 2500 ft 1 mi from GS intercept point. After landing at FBO; belly covered with oil and visible puddle under engine. Engine oil left was 1.5 quarts. Later mechanic found oil sensor line sprung leak over turbo waste gate. Improper re-assembly of hoses from overhaul 16 hours earlier. I am very lucky. This was not the intended airport I wanted to land at. It was 15 mins away! The oil line was re-assembled right on top of the exhaust system (which can run up to 1400 degrees F). A pinhole leak could have flash-fired in the engine compartment. Not seeing any change electrically or in temperature or oil pressure; I opened window vent and continued approach without declaring an emergency. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated when the smoke was discovered the decision was made to divert to the most suitable airport and while on approach; with watching the engine instruments; the airplane was too high and too fast; so a go around was made. The reporter indicated that after landing the reporter discovered the engine cowling and lower fuselage was covered with oil. With the oil left in engine at 1.5 quarts; the reporter stated that the local maintenance shop found an oil sensor line improperly routed at engine overhaul 16 hours total time. The line was routed over the engine turbo waste gate subjected to temperatures exceeding 1400 degrees; adding the maintenance shop told the reporter the oil leak should have caused a fire. The reporter stated no emergency was declared and no conflict occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C210 ON APCH AT 2200 FT EXPERIENCED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT DUE TO IMPROPERLY ROUTED OIL LINE.

Narrative: CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE. WAS CLRED FOR ILS APCH AND VECTORED TO INTERCEPT LOC. WAS TOO HIGH AND FAST TO PUT GEAR DOWN AND UNDERSHOT IAP ALT BY 250 FT. TWR CALLED IMMEDIATELY AND CAME BACK UP TO 2500 FT 1 MI FROM GS INTERCEPT POINT. AFTER LNDG AT FBO; BELLY COVERED WITH OIL AND VISIBLE PUDDLE UNDER ENG. ENG OIL LEFT WAS 1.5 QUARTS. LATER MECH FOUND OIL SENSOR LINE SPRUNG LEAK OVER TURBO WASTE GATE. IMPROPER RE-ASSEMBLY OF HOSES FROM OVERHAUL 16 HRS EARLIER. I AM VERY LUCKY. THIS WAS NOT THE INTENDED ARPT I WANTED TO LAND AT. IT WAS 15 MINS AWAY! THE OIL LINE WAS RE-ASSEMBLED RIGHT ON TOP OF THE EXHAUST SYS (WHICH CAN RUN UP TO 1400 DEGS F). A PINHOLE LEAK COULD HAVE FLASH-FIRED IN THE ENG COMPARTMENT. NOT SEEING ANY CHANGE ELECTRICALLY OR IN TEMP OR OIL PRESSURE; I OPENED WINDOW VENT AND CONTINUED APCH WITHOUT DECLARING AN EMER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED WHEN THE SMOKE WAS DISCOVERED THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DIVERT TO THE MOST SUITABLE ARPT AND WHILE ON APCH; WITH WATCHING THE ENG INSTS; THE AIRPLANE WAS TOO HIGH AND TOO FAST; SO A GAR WAS MADE. THE RPTR INDICATED THAT AFTER LNDG THE RPTR DISCOVERED THE ENG COWLING AND LOWER FUSELAGE WAS COVERED WITH OIL. WITH THE OIL LEFT IN ENG AT 1.5 QUARTS; THE RPTR STATED THAT THE LCL MAINT SHOP FOUND AN OIL SENSOR LINE IMPROPERLY ROUTED AT ENG OVERHAUL 16 HRS TOTAL TIME. THE LINE WAS ROUTED OVER THE ENG TURBO WASTE GATE SUBJECTED TO TEMPS EXCEEDING 1400 DEGS; ADDING THE MAINT SHOP TOLD THE RPTR THE OIL LEAK SHOULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. THE RPTR STATED NO EMER WAS DECLARED AND NO CONFLICT OCCURRED.

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.