Air carrier light transport with fluctuating torque and oil pressure emergency return and land.

Attributes
ACN	100208
Time
Date	198812
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pia
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 260
ASRS Report	100208
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

First officer did preflight walk around (first flight of the day). Removed oil caps for oil quantity inspection. After takeoff noticed fluctuation in oil pressure followed by fluctuation in torque. Requested priority handling back to peoria with emergency equipment called out. After landing, check of oil caps revealed left oil cap was loose. Maintenance personnel inspected engine and found no other leaks. Lost approximately 7 quarts of oil. Preflight was done in temperature of approximately 10 degrees #F with wind chill approximately -15 degrees #F. The preflight was done with heavy gloves on and in darkness. Oil cap was apparently not secured properly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT WITH FLUCTUATING TORQUE AND OIL PRESSURE EMERGENCY RETURN AND LAND.

Narrative: F/O DID PREFLT WALK AROUND (FIRST FLT OF THE DAY). REMOVED OIL CAPS FOR OIL QUANTITY INSPECTION. AFTER TKOF NOTICED FLUCTUATION IN OIL PRESSURE FOLLOWED BY FLUCTUATION IN TORQUE. REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING BACK TO PEORIA WITH EMER EQUIPMENT CALLED OUT. AFTER LNDG, CHK OF OIL CAPS REVEALED LEFT OIL CAP WAS LOOSE. MAINT PERSONNEL INSPECTED ENG AND FOUND NO OTHER LEAKS. LOST APPROX 7 QUARTS OF OIL. PREFLT WAS DONE IN TEMP OF APPROX 10 DEGS #F WITH WIND CHILL APPROX -15 DEGS #F. THE PREFLT WAS DONE WITH HEAVY GLOVES ON AND IN DARKNESS. OIL CAP WAS APPARENTLY NOT SECURED PROPERLY.

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.