Air carrier has oil pressure light illuminate at cruise. Shutdown engine. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	197305
Time
Date	199112
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fwa
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fwa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 12000
ASRS Report	197305
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500
ASRS Report	197439
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Schedule 121 operation from fwa to sbn (ft wayne, ind, to south bend, in). At cruise we had an oil pressure light illuminate which required the engine be secured. After complying with the checklists, we advised ATC. The issue we were concerned about involves 'landing at the nearest suitable airport in time.' fwa was closest in time but the WX was close to landing mins. Tol (toledo, oh) was further away with better WX. The issue of suitability of the airport became a judgement call on our part. We elected to land at the nearer airport with the less desirable WX (occurred with no incident). Our concern is that we feel the decision that we made is correct but the inspector who will review this incident may feel that I would have been better to go to the airport with the better WX. 197439: we believe that a thorough review of aircraft capabilities and fuel on board coupled with crew coordination greatly helped our decision.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATE AT CRUISE. SHUTDOWN ENG. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: SCHEDULE 121 OP FROM FWA TO SBN (FT WAYNE, IND, TO SOUTH BEND, IN). AT CRUISE WE HAD AN OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATE WHICH REQUIRED THE ENG BE SECURED. AFTER COMPLYING WITH THE CHKLISTS, WE ADVISED ATC. THE ISSUE WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT INVOLVES 'LNDG AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT IN TIME.' FWA WAS CLOSEST IN TIME BUT THE WX WAS CLOSE TO LNDG MINS. TOL (TOLEDO, OH) WAS FURTHER AWAY WITH BETTER WX. THE ISSUE OF SUITABILITY OF THE ARPT BECAME A JUDGEMENT CALL ON OUR PART. WE ELECTED TO LAND AT THE NEARER ARPT WITH THE LESS DESIRABLE WX (OCCURRED WITH NO INCIDENT). OUR CONCERN IS THAT WE FEEL THE DECISION THAT WE MADE IS CORRECT BUT THE INSPECTOR WHO WILL REVIEW THIS INCIDENT MAY FEEL THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO GO TO THE ARPT WITH THE BETTER WX. 197439: WE BELIEVE THAT A THOROUGH REVIEW OF ACFT CAPABILITIES AND FUEL ON BOARD COUPLED WITH CREW COORD GREATLY HELPED OUR DECISION.

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.