Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff; just as the landing gear was retracted; an intermittent left oil strainer clog message appeared on the overhead annunciator panel. After we cleaned the aircraft up; the PF engaged the autoplt and took the radios while I; the pilot monitoring; referred to the checklist for the overhead annunciator panel annunciation. The checklist directed me to reduce the throttle slowly until the message went away. At approximately 65% N1; the message went away. Had the message not gone away; the checklist recommended shutting the engine down. With the left engine at approximately half thrust; I came to the conclusion that we shouldn't continue to our destination. The PF asked ATC to level off at 14000 ft MSL and for vectors back to a landing at our origin airport. We called the company; talked to the flight attendants and made a PA to the passenger. We did not declare an emergency. The PF completed an uneventful visual approach and landing 2000 pounds below our maximum landing weight. Maintenance complied with the MEL requirements; returned the aircraft to service and we were on our way to our original destination with new dispatch paperwork about 1 hour 45 mins late. The next morning; I started to fill out the required company report to document this irregular operation. When I referenced the checklist to get the terminology correct for the report; I realized I had based my decision to return to the departure airport on the wrong checklist. The MD88 procedure directed retarding the throttle to idle until the message went away; while the MD90 procedure says to continue normal engine operation while monitoring the oil system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD90 CAPTAIN RETURNS TO ARPT DUE TO AN OIL STRAINER CLOGGED MESSAGE. LATER DISCOVERS CHECKLIST FOR THE WRONG MODEL ACFT WAS EMPLOYED.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF; JUST AS THE LNDG GEAR WAS RETRACTED; AN INTERMITTENT L OIL STRAINER CLOG MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE OVERHEAD ANNUNCIATOR PANEL. AFTER WE CLEANED THE ACFT UP; THE PF ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND TOOK THE RADIOS WHILE I; THE PLT MONITORING; REFERRED TO THE CHKLIST FOR THE OVERHEAD ANNUNCIATOR PANEL ANNUNCIATION. THE CHKLIST DIRECTED ME TO REDUCE THE THROTTLE SLOWLY UNTIL THE MESSAGE WENT AWAY. AT APPROX 65% N1; THE MESSAGE WENT AWAY. HAD THE MESSAGE NOT GONE AWAY; THE CHKLIST RECOMMENDED SHUTTING THE ENG DOWN. WITH THE L ENG AT APPROX HALF THRUST; I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE SHOULDN'T CONTINUE TO OUR DEST. THE PF ASKED ATC TO LEVEL OFF AT 14000 FT MSL AND FOR VECTORS BACK TO A LNDG AT OUR ORIGIN ARPT. WE CALLED THE COMPANY; TALKED TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND MADE A PA TO THE PAX. WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. THE PF COMPLETED AN UNEVENTFUL VISUAL APCH AND LNDG 2000 LBS BELOW OUR MAX LNDG WT. MAINT COMPLIED WITH THE MEL REQUIREMENTS; RETURNED THE ACFT TO SVC AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO OUR ORIGINAL DEST WITH NEW DISPATCH PAPERWORK ABOUT 1 HR 45 MINS LATE. THE NEXT MORNING; I STARTED TO FILL OUT THE REQUIRED COMPANY RPT TO DOCUMENT THIS IRREGULAR OP. WHEN I REFED THE CHKLIST TO GET THE TERMINOLOGY CORRECT FOR THE RPT; I REALIZED I HAD BASED MY DECISION TO RETURN TO THE DEP ARPT ON THE WRONG CHKLIST. THE MD88 PROC DIRECTED RETARDING THE THROTTLE TO IDLE UNTIL THE MESSAGE WENT AWAY; WHILE THE MD90 PROC SAYS TO CONTINUE NORMAL ENG OP WHILE MONITORING THE OIL SYS.

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.