Narrative:

I was flying in the nyc-hudson river corridor at 900', below the ny TCA on a sightseeing trip. While approaching the statue of liberty northbound, oil started to spray up from the cowling on the windshield. I immediately diagnosed that it was an oil leak and I knew engine failure could come soon. I dialed in the ewr control tower thinking I might be able to make it there. Then I saw how fast I was losing oil--the windshield was almost completely covered--so I decided to try to land right away rather than risk loosing the engine en route. I turned west toward nj. I found a parking lot right off the hudson river, which I felt was my best option. I circled to my left and descended. I remembered departing on runway 32, so I set up to land the same way. I landed, applied hard brakes and stopped in what I would estimate to be less than 400'. I quickly shut down and my 2 passenger and I exited the aircraft. No damage was done to the aircraft. No one was hurt and no property was damaged. The aircraft was totally covered with oil, and after further inspection I found that I lost 4 of the 8 qts of oil I originally started with. At no time during the flight did I lose control of the aircraft. Afterward, I realized that I had forgotten my wallet in the console of my car, and so I was not carrying my license or medical certificate, both of which I normally carry and are current. Also, there may have been inadequate entries in the aircraft and engine logs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OIL LOSS AND IMPENDING ENGINE FAILURE INDUCES A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG IN A PARKING LOT NEAR EWR.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING IN THE NYC-HUDSON RIVER CORRIDOR AT 900', BELOW THE NY TCA ON A SIGHTSEEING TRIP. WHILE APCHING THE STATUE OF LIBERTY NBND, OIL STARTED TO SPRAY UP FROM THE COWLING ON THE WINDSHIELD. I IMMEDIATELY DIAGNOSED THAT IT WAS AN OIL LEAK AND I KNEW ENG FAILURE COULD COME SOON. I DIALED IN THE EWR CTL TWR THINKING I MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT THERE. THEN I SAW HOW FAST I WAS LOSING OIL--THE WINDSHIELD WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY COVERED--SO I DECIDED TO TRY TO LAND RIGHT AWAY RATHER THAN RISK LOOSING THE ENG ENRTE. I TURNED W TOWARD NJ. I FOUND A PARKING LOT RIGHT OFF THE HUDSON RIVER, WHICH I FELT WAS MY BEST OPTION. I CIRCLED TO MY LEFT AND DSNDED. I REMEMBERED DEPARTING ON RWY 32, SO I SET UP TO LAND THE SAME WAY. I LANDED, APPLIED HARD BRAKES AND STOPPED IN WHAT I WOULD ESTIMATE TO BE LESS THAN 400'. I QUICKLY SHUT DOWN AND MY 2 PAX AND I EXITED THE ACFT. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE ACFT. NO ONE WAS HURT AND NO PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED. THE ACFT WAS TOTALLY COVERED WITH OIL, AND AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION I FOUND THAT I LOST 4 OF THE 8 QTS OF OIL I ORIGINALLY STARTED WITH. AT NO TIME DURING THE FLT DID I LOSE CTL OF THE ACFT. AFTERWARD, I REALIZED THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN MY WALLET IN THE CONSOLE OF MY CAR, AND SO I WAS NOT CARRYING MY LICENSE OR MEDICAL CERTIFICATE, BOTH OF WHICH I NORMALLY CARRY AND ARE CURRENT. ALSO, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN INADEQUATE ENTRIES IN THE ACFT AND ENG LOGS.

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.