Narrative:

I was in level cruise flight at 6000 ft MSL; on my way to ZZZ and had just been issued a clearance to descend to 4000 ft when I suddenly lost oil pressure; the gauge went from 57 psi to 0 psi in the matter of about 30 seconds and the 'oil' annunciator illuminated. I immediately pulled the throttle to idle and declared an emergency; asking approach for the nearest airport. The controller gave me a vector and I descended through a cloud deck to find myself high and on a left base to runway xx. I extended flaps and landed on about the middle third of the runway; pulling off at the last taxiway. The controller contacted both EMS and the fire department; who arrived at about the same time that I did. I had lost about a quart of oil; and the bottom of the airplane was covered with oil. At the present time; I do not know exactly what happened; but I am assuming that there was an oil leak that dumped the oil overboard and prevented the pump from developing pressure. A mechanic will examine the airplane this week. There were no defects when I pre-flted the airplane; and the engine had 7 quarts of oil. Engine indications were normal during start; taxi; run-up; and takeoff. There were no anomalies until the sudden loss of oil pressure. I think that the main reason things turned out well was that I was working with a really good controller. As soon as I told him my problem; he was able to issue me a vector to get me to an airport; get me the WX and unicom frequency for that airport; and notify EMS and fire. I also owe thanks to every flight instructor who has ever simulated an engine failure and made my actions automatic. Lastly; I had often thought about what I would do in the event of an engine failure (among other emergencys) and rehearsed those actions in my head. I had decided that I would aim for the middle third of the runway as opposed to the threshold if I was landing without an engine. My rationale for this was that I'd rather roll off the end of the runway at low speed than land short at flying speed. I was fairly surprised to realize that I had automatically done this; without consciously thinking about it. As it happened; I had plenty of room to stop on the runway and roll off onto a taxiway. This incident illustrates the importance of thinking about emergencys while 'armchair flying.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SR22 PILOT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE; SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE; DECLARED AN EMERGENCY; AND DIVERTED TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE AIRPORT FOR A DEAD STICK LANDING.

Narrative: I WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE FLT AT 6000 FT MSL; ON MY WAY TO ZZZ AND HAD JUST BEEN ISSUED A CLRNC TO DSND TO 4000 FT WHEN I SUDDENLY LOST OIL PRESSURE; THE GAUGE WENT FROM 57 PSI TO 0 PSI IN THE MATTER OF ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND THE 'OIL' ANNUNCIATOR ILLUMINATED. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AND DECLARED AN EMER; ASKING APCH FOR THE NEAREST ARPT. THE CTLR GAVE ME A VECTOR AND I DSNDED THROUGH A CLOUD DECK TO FIND MYSELF HIGH AND ON A L BASE TO RWY XX. I EXTENDED FLAPS AND LANDED ON ABOUT THE MIDDLE THIRD OF THE RWY; PULLING OFF AT THE LAST TXWY. THE CTLR CONTACTED BOTH EMS AND THE FIRE DEPT; WHO ARRIVED AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THAT I DID. I HAD LOST ABOUT A QUART OF OIL; AND THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRPLANE WAS COVERED WITH OIL. AT THE PRESENT TIME; I DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED; BUT I AM ASSUMING THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK THAT DUMPED THE OIL OVERBOARD AND PREVENTED THE PUMP FROM DEVELOPING PRESSURE. A MECH WILL EXAMINE THE AIRPLANE THIS WEEK. THERE WERE NO DEFECTS WHEN I PRE-FLTED THE AIRPLANE; AND THE ENG HAD 7 QUARTS OF OIL. ENG INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL DURING START; TAXI; RUN-UP; AND TKOF. THERE WERE NO ANOMALIES UNTIL THE SUDDEN LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. I THINK THAT THE MAIN REASON THINGS TURNED OUT WELL WAS THAT I WAS WORKING WITH A REALLY GOOD CTLR. AS SOON AS I TOLD HIM MY PROB; HE WAS ABLE TO ISSUE ME A VECTOR TO GET ME TO AN ARPT; GET ME THE WX AND UNICOM FREQ FOR THAT ARPT; AND NOTIFY EMS AND FIRE. I ALSO OWE THANKS TO EVERY FLT INSTRUCTOR WHO HAS EVER SIMULATED AN ENG FAILURE AND MADE MY ACTIONS AUTO. LASTLY; I HAD OFTEN THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT I WOULD DO IN THE EVENT OF AN ENG FAILURE (AMONG OTHER EMERS) AND REHEARSED THOSE ACTIONS IN MY HEAD. I HAD DECIDED THAT I WOULD AIM FOR THE MIDDLE THIRD OF THE RWY AS OPPOSED TO THE THRESHOLD IF I WAS LNDG WITHOUT AN ENG. MY RATIONALE FOR THIS WAS THAT I'D RATHER ROLL OFF THE END OF THE RWY AT LOW SPD THAN LAND SHORT AT FLYING SPD. I WAS FAIRLY SURPRISED TO REALIZE THAT I HAD AUTOMATICALLY DONE THIS; WITHOUT CONSCIOUSLY THINKING ABOUT IT. AS IT HAPPENED; I HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP ON THE RWY AND ROLL OFF ONTO A TXWY. THIS INCIDENT ILLUSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF THINKING ABOUT EMERS WHILE 'ARMCHAIR FLYING.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.