A piper PA28 in cruise at 3500 ft declared an emergency and diverted due to an engine low oil pressu...

Attributes
ACN	392078
Time
Date	199801
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vrb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : vrb
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	392078
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

20 mi north of vrb, got oil pressure light on single engine piper dakota. It appeared not to be light/gauge problem. WX marginal VFR in thunderstorms. 10 mi north vrb called tower, advised in interest of safety had to land with oil pressure light on. They said field IFR with visibility 2 1/2 mi, vice 3 mi. My determination was that damage to people and property could result if flight continued. Declared emergency and landed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER PA28 IN CRUISE AT 3500 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO AN ENG LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT.

Narrative: 20 MI N OF VRB, GOT OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ON SINGLE ENG PIPER DAKOTA. IT APPEARED NOT TO BE LIGHT/GAUGE PROB. WX MARGINAL VFR IN TSTMS. 10 MI N VRB CALLED TWR, ADVISED IN INTEREST OF SAFETY HAD TO LAND WITH OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ON. THEY SAID FIELD IFR WITH VISIBILITY 2 1/2 MI, VICE 3 MI. MY DETERMINATION WAS THAT DAMAGE TO PEOPLE AND PROPERTY COULD RESULT IF FLT CONTINUED. DECLARED EMER AND LANDED.

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.

A piper PA28 in cruise at 3500 ft declared an emergency and diverted due to an engine low oil pressure warning light.