Narrative:

We were cruising at FL380 when we noticed the left oil filter bypass light started to flash. We got the QRH out and started to read the oil filter bypass checklist. We retarded number 1 thrust lever to 75 percent N1 and the light went out momentarily; but came back on. We closed the number 1 thrust lever but the light was still illuminating so we went to step 2 in the checklist to accomplish the engine failure/shutdown checklist. We asked ATC for lower altitude; declared an emergency; and proceeded to shut down number 1 engine. We checked the opc for the one engine out performance numbers and decided to divert to a suitable airport. ZZZ airport was approximately 70 NM behind us; WX there was good VFR and we told ATC that we would like to go direct ZZZ airport. We informed dispatch via ACARS what was happening to number 1 engine and that we were diverting to ZZZ airport. We briefed the flight attendants and told the passenger that we were diverting to ZZZ airport. We then got ready to accomplish the one engine inoperative landing checklist for a flaps 15 landing. Our landing weight was still above maximum landing weight so we decided to do an overweight landing; 136;200 pounds. We asked ATC to have the assistance and equipment standing by. I took over the aircraft early in the approach from the first officer to do the landing. Landing was done with low sink rate and soft touchdown and we slowed the aircraft down with automatic brakes; thrust reverser and brakes to a stop. We exited the runway and fire department came to visually inspect the engine and brakes. They measured the brake temperature and after 15 minutes they cleared us to taxi to the ramp. Once we reached the ramp and parked the airplane; the fire department once again checked the brake temperature and after 25 minutes; they allowed the stairs to be pulled up to the aircraft so we could make the arrangement to deplane all the passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW SHUT DOWN ENG IN FLT PER CHKLIST. FLT CREW DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.

Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT FL380 WHEN WE NOTICED THE L OIL FILTER BYPASS LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH. WE GOT THE QRH OUT AND STARTED TO READ THE OIL FILTER BYPASS CHKLIST. WE RETARDED NUMBER 1 THRUST LEVER TO 75 PERCENT N1 AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT MOMENTARILY; BUT CAME BACK ON. WE CLOSED THE NUMBER 1 THRUST LEVER BUT THE LIGHT WAS STILL ILLUMINATING SO WE WENT TO STEP 2 IN THE CHKLIST TO ACCOMPLISH THE ENGINE FAILURE/SHUTDOWN CHKLIST. WE ASKED ATC FOR LOWER ALTITUDE; DECLARED AN EMER; AND PROCEEDED TO SHUT DOWN NUMBER 1 ENGINE. WE CHKED THE OPC FOR THE ONE ENGINE OUT PERFORMANCE NUMBERS AND DECIDED TO DIVERT TO A SUITABLE ARPT. ZZZ ARPT WAS APPROX 70 NM BEHIND US; WX THERE WAS GOOD VFR AND WE TOLD ATC THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GO DIRECT ZZZ ARPT. WE INFORMED DISPATCH VIA ACARS WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO NUMBER 1 ENGINE AND THAT WE WERE DIVERTING TO ZZZ ARPT. WE BRIEFED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND TOLD THE PAX THAT WE WERE DIVERTING TO ZZZ ARPT. WE THEN GOT READY TO ACCOMPLISH THE ONE ENGINE INOPERATIVE LNDG CHKLIST FOR A FLAPS 15 LNDG. OUR LNDG WT WAS STILL ABOVE MAX LNDG WT SO WE DECIDED TO DO AN OVERWEIGHT LNDG; 136;200 LBS. WE ASKED ATC TO HAVE THE ASSISTANCE AND EQUIPMENT STANDING BY. I TOOK OVER THE ACFT EARLY IN THE APCH FROM THE FO TO DO THE LNDG. LNDG WAS DONE WITH LOW SINK RATE AND SOFT TOUCHDOWN AND WE SLOWED THE ACFT DOWN WITH AUTO BRAKES; THRUST REVERSER AND BRAKES TO A STOP. WE EXITED THE RWY AND FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO VISUALLY INSPECT THE ENGINE AND BRAKES. THEY MEASURED THE BRAKE TEMPERATURE AND AFTER 15 MINUTES THEY CLRED US TO TAXI TO THE RAMP. ONCE WE REACHED THE RAMP AND PARKED THE AIRPLANE; THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ONCE AGAIN CHECKED THE BRAKE TEMPERATURE AND AFTER 25 MINUTES; THEY ALLOWED THE STAIRS TO BE PULLED UP TO THE ACFT SO WE COULD MAKE THE ARRANGEMENT TO DEPLANE ALL THE PAX.

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.