Commuter mdt lost engine oil pressure during climb out from lax. Emergency declared. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	197674
Time
Date	199112
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3100
ASRS Report	197674
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 9000
ASRS Report	198207
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After a normal takeoff from lax on runway 24L passing 2000 ft for 6000 ft in IMC conditions, the left low oil pressure light illuminated along with the aural warning. The left oil pressure gauge indicated normal. In accordance with the checklist, we reduced power on the left engine and requested vectors back to lax for an approach. Passing 4500 ft MSL the left oil pressure gauge began fluctuating above 40 psi and then dropped below 40 psi and we secured the left engine and performed the required checklists in accordance with standard operating procedures and declared an emergency. We flew the ILS 24R and landed on 24R at lax. We had a problem initially with other aircraft stepping on our transmissions as we declared an emergency. Otherwise, the aircraft handled well single engine and our procedures/checklists and standard operating procedures worked very well in preserving the engine and recovering the aircraft and passenger safely. Supplemental information from acn 198207: request by tower to side step 24L was denied.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER MDT LOST ENG OIL PRESSURE DURING CLB OUT FROM LAX. EMER DECLARED. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL TKOF FROM LAX ON RWY 24L PASSING 2000 FT FOR 6000 FT IN IMC CONDITIONS, THE L LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH THE AURAL WARNING. THE L OIL PRESSURE GAUGE INDICATED NORMAL. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHKLIST, WE REDUCED PWR ON THE L ENG AND REQUESTED VECTORS BACK TO LAX FOR AN APCH. PASSING 4500 FT MSL THE L OIL PRESSURE GAUGE BEGAN FLUCTUATING ABOVE 40 PSI AND THEN DROPPED BELOW 40 PSI AND WE SECURED THE L ENG AND PERFORMED THE REQUIRED CHKLISTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDARD OPERATING PROCS AND DECLARED AN EMER. WE FLEW THE ILS 24R AND LANDED ON 24R AT LAX. WE HAD A PROBLEM INITIALLY WITH OTHER ACFT STEPPING ON OUR TRANSMISSIONS AS WE DECLARED AN EMER. OTHERWISE, THE ACFT HANDLED WELL SINGLE ENG AND OUR PROCS/CHKLISTS AND STANDARD OPERATING PROCS WORKED VERY WELL IN PRESERVING THE ENG AND RECOVERING THE ACFT AND PAX SAFELY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 198207: REQUEST BY TWR TO SIDE STEP 24L WAS DENIED.

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.