High engine oil temperature diversion to alternate precautionary landing.

Attributes
ACN	275848
Time
Date	199406
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	275848
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000
ASRS Report	275797
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During climb-out (approximately FL200) I noted left engine oil temperature abnormally high and climbing toward caution range (120 degrees) captain and I asked for level-off at 24O degrees, and reduced power. Oil temperature continued to rise, eventually reaching 130 degrees since operations above 120 degrees is limited to 15 mins, we decided to divert to nearest suitable airport, rdu, and set reduced thrust on left engine. At XXXX EDT we notified ATC of intentions to land rdu and declared an emergency. They responded well and quickly gave us lower. We made a rapid descent during which we exceeded 25O KTS below 10000 MSL. All checklists were completed and a normal landing and taxi-in were accomplished. We informed tower that the fire/rescue trucks were no longer needed. During descent, I advised flight attendant's, passenger, and ATC that our diversion was precautionary only and to remain seated. Flight attendant's later said PA's were clear and appreciated. We later learned that a fuel-heat valve was stuck open, causing oil temperature high via the fuel/oil heat exchanger. This was the first leg of the day, and I believe we did everything well. We had an air carrier B767 captain on the jumpseat and he remarked on our good teamwork -- cockpit resource management training helps.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HIGH ENG OIL TEMP DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.

Narrative: DURING CLB-OUT (APPROX FL200) I NOTED L ENG OIL TEMP ABNORMALLY HIGH AND CLBING TOWARD CAUTION RANGE (120 DEGS) CAPT AND I ASKED FOR LEVEL-OFF AT 24O DEGS, AND REDUCED PWR. OIL TEMP CONTINUED TO RISE, EVENTUALLY REACHING 130 DEGS SINCE OPS ABOVE 120 DEGS IS LIMITED TO 15 MINS, WE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT, RDU, AND SET REDUCED THRUST ON L ENG. AT XXXX EDT WE NOTIFIED ATC OF INTENTIONS TO LAND RDU AND DECLARED AN EMER. THEY RESPONDED WELL AND QUICKLY GAVE US LOWER. WE MADE A RAPID DSCNT DURING WHICH WE EXCEEDED 25O KTS BELOW 10000 MSL. ALL CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED AND A NORMAL LNDG AND TAXI-IN WERE ACCOMPLISHED. WE INFORMED TWR THAT THE FIRE/RESCUE TRUCKS WERE NO LONGER NEEDED. DURING DSCNT, I ADVISED FA'S, PAX, AND ATC THAT OUR DIVERSION WAS PRECAUTIONARY ONLY AND TO REMAIN SEATED. FA'S LATER SAID PA'S WERE CLR AND APPRECIATED. WE LATER LEARNED THAT A FUEL-HEAT VALVE WAS STUCK OPEN, CAUSING OIL TEMP HIGH VIA THE FUEL/OIL HEAT EXCHANGER. THIS WAS THE FIRST LEG OF THE DAY, AND I BELIEVE WE DID EVERYTHING WELL. WE HAD AN ACR B767 CAPT ON THE JUMPSEAT AND HE REMARKED ON OUR GOOD TEAMWORK -- COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT TRAINING HELPS.

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.