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GA small transport deviated from clearance route. Turned back toward departure airport without clearance. Minor oil leak was reason for return.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 99289 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198811 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : fim |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ntd |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 99289 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
After departing bur on an IFR flight plan to sfo I was handed off to magu approach and cleared direct fim VOR. While cruising at 8000' MSL a passenger noted oil coming out of the top side of the right engine cowling. Upon looking and observing the oil I immediately contacted ATC and advised them of the problem and that I would be returning to bur. ATC acknowledged my transmission and after visually clearing the airspace (VFR conditions 50 mi visibility) I initiated a turn to the right toward bur. After a minute ATC called and asked if I had started a turn. I advised I had and again that I needed to return to bur at which time ATC scolded me for turning west/O receiving a clearance. He said that he could have had conflicting traffic and I shouldn't have turned west/O a clearance. He then told me to maintain VFR and assigned a heading toward bur. We returned to bur west/O further incident. After landing and inspecting the aircraft it appeared the dip stick to the right engine was not completely in the indent position which allowed oil to be pushed out while running. The dip stick lacked about 1/8' to be in the fully in position and could not have been visually checked when put in, but only by feel can you tell that it has locked in. During preflight the pilot should inspect the dip stick position any time after line personnel have fueled the aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA SMT DEVIATED FROM CLRNC ROUTE. TURNED BACK TOWARD DEP ARPT WITHOUT CLRNC. MINOR OIL LEAK WAS REASON FOR RETURN.
Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING BUR ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO SFO I WAS HANDED OFF TO MAGU APCH AND CLRED DIRECT FIM VOR. WHILE CRUISING AT 8000' MSL A PAX NOTED OIL COMING OUT OF THE TOP SIDE OF THE RIGHT ENG COWLING. UPON LOOKING AND OBSERVING THE OIL I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED ATC AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROB AND THAT I WOULD BE RETURNING TO BUR. ATC ACKNOWLEDGED MY XMISSION AND AFTER VISUALLY CLRING THE AIRSPACE (VFR CONDITIONS 50 MI VIS) I INITIATED A TURN TO THE RIGHT TOWARD BUR. AFTER A MINUTE ATC CALLED AND ASKED IF I HAD STARTED A TURN. I ADVISED I HAD AND AGAIN THAT I NEEDED TO RETURN TO BUR AT WHICH TIME ATC SCOLDED ME FOR TURNING W/O RECEIVING A CLRNC. HE SAID THAT HE COULD HAVE HAD CONFLICTING TFC AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TURNED W/O A CLRNC. HE THEN TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN VFR AND ASSIGNED A HDG TOWARD BUR. WE RETURNED TO BUR W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. AFTER LNDG AND INSPECTING THE ACFT IT APPEARED THE DIP STICK TO THE RIGHT ENG WAS NOT COMPLETELY IN THE INDENT POS WHICH ALLOWED OIL TO BE PUSHED OUT WHILE RUNNING. THE DIP STICK LACKED ABOUT 1/8' TO BE IN THE FULLY IN POS AND COULD NOT HAVE BEEN VISUALLY CHKED WHEN PUT IN, BUT ONLY BY FEEL CAN YOU TELL THAT IT HAS LOCKED IN. DURING PREFLT THE PLT SHOULD INSPECT THE DIP STICK POS ANY TIME AFTER LINE PERSONNEL HAVE FUELED THE ACFT.
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.