Shortly after takeoff while doing pattern work; a BE35 pilot requested an immediate turn toward and ...

Attributes
ACN	1027907
Time
Date	201208
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Component
Aircraft Component	Oil Distribution
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30 Flight Crew Total 2200 Flight Crew Type 200
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical

Narrative:

While [I was] doing pattern work at my home airport an oil leak occurred which forced oil out of the oil access door on the cowl. The oil immediately began to build up on the windshield on the pilot's side. I was on the upwind and notified tower of the leak and requested immediate return in right traffic for the longest runway. Tower cleared me as requested and I landed without incident. I did not declare an emergency; and did not feel that I was in any imminent danger; all oil pressure/temp readings and egt/cht readings remained normal throughout the incident. I was able to taxi the aircraft to parking without assistance. At the time of the event the only other aircraft using the airport was in left traffic for the parallel runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Shortly after takeoff while doing pattern work; a BE35 pilot requested an immediate turn toward and landing on another; more expeditiously accessed; runway due to an engine oil leak which was obscuring his forward vision.

Narrative: While [I was] doing pattern work at my home airport an oil leak occurred which forced oil out of the oil access door on the cowl. The oil immediately began to build up on the windshield on the pilot's side. I was on the upwind and notified Tower of the leak and requested immediate return in right traffic for the longest runway. Tower cleared me as requested and I landed without incident. I did not declare an emergency; and did not feel that I was in any imminent danger; all oil pressure/temp readings and EGT/CHT readings remained normal throughout the incident. I was able to taxi the aircraft to parking without assistance. At the time of the event the only other aircraft using the airport was in left traffic for the parallel runway.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.