Small aircraft forced landing due to low oil pressure.

Attributes
ACN	96001
Time
Date	198810
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : txc
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 39 flight time total : 571 flight time type : 143
ASRS Report	96001
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Pilot/owner inadvertently left screwdriver on cooling air baffle just forward of the oil cooler. After about 40 mins of flight the screwdriver worked a hole in the oil cooler. A light oiley smoke was noticed in the cabin and oil pressure began to drop. When oil pressure reached bottom of the green, power reduced to idle, road selected for landing. Passenger (also a pilot) contacted air carrier flight on 121.5. They relayed to ZDV pertinent information. Aircraft landed on the entry road of a hazardous waste dump. The dump was under construction and not open. On final approach pilot added power to get over the closed gate and landed. No damage, no injuries. Next day replaced cooler, added oil and returned to apa. 2 items in pilot training could have prevented the forced landing and made the forced landing safer: 1) the pilot completed pilot training at a flight school in 1/86. The school would allow no maintenance by the students. Consequently, when the pilot purchased the aircraft in 4/88 he had no training in the basics of far part 43 maintenance, nor in the most basic mechanics safety practices. These should be taught. 2) pilot's training for forced landing was by memory of a mental checklist. During this forced landing, even though emergency checklists were at hand, the training took over and the pilot drew a blank. Pilot training should emphasize use of a checklist for emergencys rather than memory.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FORCED LNDG DUE TO LOW OIL PRESSURE.

Narrative: PLT/OWNER INADVERTENTLY LEFT SCREWDRIVER ON COOLING AIR BAFFLE JUST FORWARD OF THE OIL COOLER. AFTER ABOUT 40 MINS OF FLT THE SCREWDRIVER WORKED A HOLE IN THE OIL COOLER. A LIGHT OILEY SMOKE WAS NOTICED IN THE CABIN AND OIL PRESSURE BEGAN TO DROP. WHEN OIL PRESSURE REACHED BOTTOM OF THE GREEN, PWR REDUCED TO IDLE, ROAD SELECTED FOR LNDG. PAX (ALSO A PLT) CONTACTED ACR FLT ON 121.5. THEY RELAYED TO ZDV PERTINENT INFO. ACFT LANDED ON THE ENTRY ROAD OF A HAZARDOUS WASTE DUMP. THE DUMP WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND NOT OPEN. ON FINAL APCH PLT ADDED PWR TO GET OVER THE CLOSED GATE AND LANDED. NO DAMAGE, NO INJURIES. NEXT DAY REPLACED COOLER, ADDED OIL AND RETURNED TO APA. 2 ITEMS IN PLT TRNING COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE FORCED LNDG AND MADE THE FORCED LNDG SAFER: 1) THE PLT COMPLETED PLT TRNING AT A FLT SCHOOL IN 1/86. THE SCHOOL WOULD ALLOW NO MAINT BY THE STUDENTS. CONSEQUENTLY, WHEN THE PLT PURCHASED THE ACFT IN 4/88 HE HAD NO TRNING IN THE BASICS OF FAR PART 43 MAINT, NOR IN THE MOST BASIC MECHS SAFETY PRACTICES. THESE SHOULD BE TAUGHT. 2) PLT'S TRNING FOR FORCED LNDG WAS BY MEMORY OF A MENTAL CHKLIST. DURING THIS FORCED LNDG, EVEN THOUGH EMER CHKLISTS WERE AT HAND, THE TRNING TOOK OVER AND THE PLT DREW A BLANK. PLT TRNING SHOULD EMPHASIZE USE OF A CHKLIST FOR EMERS RATHER THAN MEMORY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.