Narrative:

While flying from ozark, al, to columbia, sc, after a fueling stop at enterprise, al, I was en route, using flight following and in contact with macon, GA, approach and at 5500 ft altitude, when the aircraft engine had a power surge and I noticed the engine oil pressure dropping to zero. At this time I advised macon approach of the problem, and they advised me of the nearest airport and gave me vectors. The engine continued to lose power and I was unable to maintain altitude. I advised macon approach again of this. Still maintaining course heading for the nearest airport, I noticed the interstate highway and asked macon approach of my distance from the airport. To the best of my recollection they advised '4 mi.' once over the interstate, I was out of altitude and realized that making the airport was impossible, and committed to land on the interstate. I then turned northbound on I-75 and landed the aircraft between northbound automatic's. After landing I moved the aircraft to the side of the road and awaited the authorities. The oil was topped off during preflight inspection at blackwell (ozark) bringing the total to 7 quarts. The aircraft was taken off from blackwell and enterprise and had flown approximately 1 1/2 hours. There was no visible signs of oil leakage of significant amounts. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter stated that the aircraft engine failed due to oil starvation. Even though there were no signs of oil leakage on the aircraft, he had put in 1 quart of oil prior to the flight. He further stated that he landed with the traffic beside a large truck which swerved the truck to slow vehicle traffic to coming from the rear. This action by the truck driver allowed sufficient time for the aircraft to be moved over to the side of the road and not be struck by any vehicles as he came to a stop.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PVT SMA ACFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENG OIL PRESSURE AND ENG PWR LOSS RESULTING IN AN EMER FORCED LNDG ON AN INTERSTATE HWY.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING FROM OZARK, AL, TO COLUMBIA, SC, AFTER A FUELING STOP AT ENTERPRISE, AL, I WAS ENRTE, USING FLT FOLLOWING AND IN CONTACT WITH MACON, GA, APCH AND AT 5500 FT ALT, WHEN THE ACFT ENG HAD A PWR SURGE AND I NOTICED THE ENG OIL PRESSURE DROPPING TO ZERO. AT THIS TIME I ADVISED MACON APCH OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY ADVISED ME OF THE NEAREST ARPT AND GAVE ME VECTORS. THE ENG CONTINUED TO LOSE PWR AND I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. I ADVISED MACON APCH AGAIN OF THIS. STILL MAINTAINING COURSE HDG FOR THE NEAREST ARPT, I NOTICED THE INTERSTATE HWY AND ASKED MACON APCH OF MY DISTANCE FROM THE ARPT. TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION THEY ADVISED '4 MI.' ONCE OVER THE INTERSTATE, I WAS OUT OF ALT AND REALIZED THAT MAKING THE ARPT WAS IMPOSSIBLE, AND COMMITTED TO LAND ON THE INTERSTATE. I THEN TURNED NBOUND ON I-75 AND LANDED THE ACFT BTWN NBOUND AUTO'S. AFTER LNDG I MOVED THE ACFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AWAITED THE AUTHORITIES. THE OIL WAS TOPPED OFF DURING PREFLT INSPECTION AT BLACKWELL (OZARK) BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 7 QUARTS. THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OFF FROM BLACKWELL AND ENTERPRISE AND HAD FLOWN APPROX 1 1/2 HRS. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF OIL LEAKAGE OF SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATED THAT THE ACFT ENG FAILED DUE TO OIL STARVATION. EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF OIL LEAKAGE ON THE ACFT, HE HAD PUT IN 1 QUART OF OIL PRIOR TO THE FLT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE LANDED WITH THE TFC BESIDE A LARGE TRUCK WHICH SWERVED THE TRUCK TO SLOW VEHICLE TFC TO COMING FROM THE REAR. THIS ACTION BY THE TRUCK DRIVER ALLOWED SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE ACFT TO BE MOVED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOT BE STRUCK BY ANY VEHICLES AS HE CAME TO A STOP.

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.