Narrative:

An hour after leveling at cruise FL340; amber EICAS message popped up for the right engine oil filter. The QRH only stated crew awareness; but the captain decided to contact maintenance control via dispatch to check on history for this event. Mechanic stated that since we had complied with the QRH; they would handle the rest at our destination and notify station maintenance of our situation. I started keeping an oil log at that time along with the fuel log to monitor the engine for changes. About an hour after the EICAS message; we elected to climb up to FL380 for weather ahead and to the south of us. Prior to the climb; I had noticed the oil quantity was 21 quarts with the oil temperature and pressure both normal and written that down. During the climb; and after reaching FL380; I checked again; and the parameters were the same. After about 2 minutes; I looked back and noticed that the right engine oil quantity now indicated 17 quarts. By the time I had called out the quantity to the captain; it had dropped to 15 quarts. I called center and asked them what the weather was like in at an en route airport; as it was off the nose about 160 miles. The captain elected to declare an emergency; and initially we decided the enroute airport was the best place. We told center we needed lower immediately as the oil quantity was passing 5 quarts. He told us we would have it shortly I believe; as there was another carrier just off our nose around 5 miles at FL370. We told center that we were not able to stay up there and would need him to move the other aircraft; which he did. We took a vector toward the south and the line of weather; and the other carrier turned north; and descended as well. As we turned; another suitable airport came into view on the navigation display; and the captain asked center what the weather was like there. It was closer to us; and he elected to divert there. I was running the engine shutdown checklist as well since we elected to shut it down before a possible catastrophic failure. Oil quantity now was below 3 quarts as I shut off the fuel control lever. Shortly after that it decreased to 1 quart for the duration of the descent. After completing the engine shutdown in-flight checklist I assisted the captain with the balance of transmissions; communications to the flight attendants; emergency checklists for landing/go-around; and the normal landing checklist. I asked ATC to notify the company; (captain did also later on) about our emergency and change in destination since we were too busy to get into that. [We were] switched to ATC low altitude sector; and then approach. After being told we would be using I believe; runway X; I told approach we would prefer using runway Y; which was 11;000 ft long instead of the 8000 ft of runway X. We were just below maximum landing weight and with the higher approach speeds it seemed like the prudent thing to do. I set up the ILS in the control head; and got the ILS into the FMC with an extension off of the FAF. For an emergency aircraft there was a lot of other communication on our frequency; which we had to deal with; though it did not pose a threat; it would have been better to have a discrete frequency especially as we got down to the low altitudes. I had requested minimum frequency changes if I remember right from the low altitude controller. [We] requested to have airport rescue and fire fighting equipment standing by at the field as well. We got vectors to final approach and flew the ILS to runway 31 using the single engine approach profile. Landed the aircraft and stopped on the runway until we coordinated to have airport rescue and fire fighter check us over and follow us to the gate. Taxied to gate and deplaned the aircraft from the jetbridge; then moved the aircraft under tow with ramp to another gate. Post flight the oil quantity read 1 quart. Outside; there was a large puddle of oil on the ramp underneath the number 2 engine. The engine probably was wind milling for approximately 30 minutes from top of descent. A couple of side notes I asked airport rescue and fire fighting if they had a discrete frequency; which he gave me; but he wasn't certain if 'operations' would be able to listen in. Not sure what that was about; but it would be better in my opinion to have at least an approach to landing and rollout with airport rescue and fire fighting that is a single discrete frequency. Had that happen last year into another airport and it was seamless. Also; when we first declared our emergency; we were at 38;000 ft. We would not be able to maintain that altitude on one engine; and it became clear that center was going to make us wait just a couple to get the other carrier past us. We told them that was not going to work out and that we needed to descend immediately. We did acquire the other carrier visually as we were turning away; and not sure how close we came; but I think it would be good information to share with our fellow ATC controllers; that when we have to shut down an engine; it will most likely result in an immediate altitude change; especially if up high. I believe we worked that out; but just wanted to emphasize that point. I thought captain did an outstanding job of managing the emergency and bringing it to a safe conclusion at the gate. We greatly appreciate the work involved from everyone on our behalf from center; high and low; approach; tower; ground; and airport rescue and fire fighting; and even our brothers in the air; the other carrier. Wish we could say thanks to them as well. Truly a team effort to make it all come out the way we train for it day in and day out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 lost engine oil in flight so the crew shut the engine down; declared an emergency and diverted to a nearby airport.

Narrative: An hour after leveling at cruise FL340; amber EICAS message popped up for the Right Engine Oil Filter. The QRH only stated crew awareness; but the Captain decided to contact Maintenance Control via Dispatch to check on history for this event. Mechanic stated that since we had complied with the QRH; they would handle the rest at our destination and notify Station Maintenance of our situation. I started keeping an oil log at that time along with the fuel log to monitor the engine for changes. About an hour after the EICAS Message; we elected to climb up to FL380 for weather ahead and to the south of us. Prior to the climb; I had noticed the Oil Quantity was 21 quarts with the oil temperature and pressure both normal and written that down. During the climb; and after reaching FL380; I checked again; and the parameters were the same. After about 2 minutes; I looked back and noticed that the right engine oil quantity now indicated 17 quarts. By the time I had called out the quantity to the Captain; it had dropped to 15 quarts. I called Center and asked them what the weather was like in at an en route airport; as it was off the nose about 160 miles. The Captain elected to declare an emergency; and initially we decided the enroute airport was the best place. We told Center we needed lower immediately as the oil quantity was passing 5 quarts. He told us we would have it shortly I believe; as there was another carrier just off our nose around 5 miles at FL370. We told Center that we were not able to stay up there and would need him to move the other aircraft; which he did. We took a vector toward the south and the line of weather; and the other carrier turned north; and descended as well. As we turned; another suitable airport came into view on the NAV display; and the Captain asked Center what the weather was like there. It was closer to us; and he elected to divert there. I was running the Engine Shutdown Checklist as well since we elected to shut it down before a possible catastrophic failure. Oil quantity now was below 3 quarts as I shut off the fuel control lever. Shortly after that it decreased to 1 quart for the duration of the descent. After completing the Engine Shutdown In-flight Checklist I assisted the Captain with the balance of transmissions; communications to the flight attendants; emergency checklists for landing/go-around; and the normal landing checklist. I asked ATC to notify the Company; (Captain did also later on) about our emergency and change in destination since we were too busy to get into that. [We were] switched to ATC Low Altitude Sector; and then Approach. After being told we would be using I believe; Runway X; I told Approach we would prefer using Runway Y; which was 11;000 FT long instead of the 8000 FT of Runway X. We were just below Maximum Landing Weight and with the higher approach speeds it seemed like the prudent thing to do. I set up the ILS in the control head; and got the ILS into the FMC with an extension off of the FAF. For an Emergency Aircraft there was a lot of other communication on our frequency; which we had to deal with; though it did not pose a threat; It would have been better to have a discrete frequency especially as we got down to the low altitudes. I had requested minimum frequency changes if I remember right from the Low Altitude Controller. [We] requested to have Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting equipment standing by at the field as well. We got vectors to final approach and flew the ILS to Runway 31 using the Single Engine Approach Profile. Landed the aircraft and stopped on the runway until we coordinated to have Airport Rescue and Fire Fighter check us over and follow us to the gate. Taxied to gate and deplaned the aircraft from the jetbridge; then moved the aircraft under tow with ramp to another gate. Post flight the oil quantity read 1 quart. Outside; there was a large puddle of oil on the ramp underneath the number 2 engine. The engine probably was wind milling for approximately 30 minutes from top of descent. A couple of side notes I asked Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting if they had a discrete frequency; which he gave me; but he wasn't certain if 'Operations' would be able to listen in. Not sure what that was about; but it would be better in my opinion to have at least an approach to landing and rollout with Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting that is a single discrete frequency. Had that happen last year into another airport and it was seamless. Also; when we first declared our emergency; we were at 38;000 FT. We would not be able to maintain that altitude on one engine; and it became clear that Center was going to make us wait just a couple to get the other carrier past us. We told them that was not going to work out and that we needed to descend immediately. We did acquire the other carrier visually as we were turning away; and not sure how close we came; but I think it would be good information to share with our fellow ATC Controllers; that when we have to shut down an engine; it will most likely result in an immediate altitude change; especially if up high. I believe we worked that out; but just wanted to emphasize that point. I thought Captain did an outstanding job of managing the emergency and bringing it to a safe conclusion at the gate. We greatly appreciate the work involved from everyone on our behalf from Center; High and Low; Approach; Tower; Ground; and Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting; and even our brothers in the air; the other carrier. Wish we could say thanks to them as well. Truly a team effort to make it all come out the way we train for it day in and day out.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.