<< >> NASA ASRS Report 154620, August 1990

Small aircraft pilot notices high oil temperature and conducts emergency landing on closed runway, does not declare emergency give the opportunity.

Attributes
ACN	154620
Time
Date	199008
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tup
State Reference	MS
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zme
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 468
ASRS Report	154620
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While in cruise at 5000', noticed oil temperature gauge pegged. ZME was notified and cleared to descend to 2700', and then to tupelo municipal, ms, 1 1/2 mi distant. Although ZME wanted to know if I wanted to declare an emergency, I said I'd rather not, since I had tupelo in sight, requiring just a small turn to land on a closed runway (04). Advised it looked ok, and used it because I was unable to raise unicom on 122.8. Was afraid engine might seize or fire occur due to gauge reading, if I tried for another runway more distant. As no mechanic was avail till later, national guard helicopter a&east rated mechanics who offered, said engine was not affected. There were no oil leaks, and engine oil quantity stick showed normal, so it was determined that oil temperature gauge was inaccurate. Since there was no loss of oil, oil pressure gauge read normal, head temperature gauge normal, I decided to continue as everything else indicated normal. Gas tanks were topped and arrived at craig airport, jacksonville, fl uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT NOTICES HIGH OIL TEMPERATURE AND CONDUCTS EMERGENCY LNDG ON CLOSED RWY, DOES NOT DECLARE EMERGENCY GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE AT 5000', NOTICED OIL TEMP GAUGE PEGGED. ZME WAS NOTIFIED AND CLRED TO DSND TO 2700', AND THEN TO TUPELO MUNICIPAL, MS, 1 1/2 MI DISTANT. ALTHOUGH ZME WANTED TO KNOW IF I WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER, I SAID I'D RATHER NOT, SINCE I HAD TUPELO IN SIGHT, REQUIRING JUST A SMALL TURN TO LAND ON A CLOSED RWY (04). ADVISED IT LOOKED OK, AND USED IT BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO RAISE UNICOM ON 122.8. WAS AFRAID ENG MIGHT SEIZE OR FIRE OCCUR DUE TO GAUGE READING, IF I TRIED FOR ANOTHER RWY MORE DISTANT. AS NO MECH WAS AVAIL TILL LATER, NATL GUARD HELI A&E RATED MECHS WHO OFFERED, SAID ENG WAS NOT AFFECTED. THERE WERE NO OIL LEAKS, AND ENG OIL QUANTITY STICK SHOWED NORMAL, SO IT WAS DETERMINED THAT OIL TEMP GAUGE WAS INACCURATE. SINCE THERE WAS NO LOSS OF OIL, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE READ NORMAL, HEAD TEMP GAUGE NORMAL, I DECIDED TO CONTINUE AS EVERYTHING ELSE INDICATED NORMAL. GAS TANKS WERE TOPPED AND ARRIVED AT CRAIG ARPT, JACKSONVILLE, FL UNEVENTFULLY.

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