Narrative:

Upon reaching 7000 ft while approaching ord from the northwest at approximately 20 NM north, we suddenly lost all oil in the right engine. Oil pressure dropped initially to 20 psi and subsequently dropped to 10 psi where it remained. Oil quantity read zero and oil temperature remained at 80 degrees C. We immediately declared an emergency and received vectors to the airport for a visual approach. Ord approach handled us extremely smoothly and made things simple for us during this busy time. We elected to keep the engine at idle after completing the appropriate checklists. The first officer flew the aircraft while I completed the checklists, briefed the flight attendants and the passenger. We were on the ground in approximately 6 mins. After landing, we shut down the engine and had the fire equipment inspect the engine and surrounding area. They found all in order except for some oil residue which was expected. We elected not to start the APU due to questions as to the amount of oil on the aircraft and the close proximity of the APU exhaust to the right engine. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the right engine was a P&west JT8D- 217. Loss of oil and pressure was caused by the failure of the #6 rear bearing seal. The reporter said that engine maintained 10 psi at idle so the engine was left running to supply hydraulics and electrical power. The reporter stated this #6 bearing seal is the third reported failure in about two months and may be becoming a problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD SUPER 80 ON DSCNT AT 7000 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO THE R ENG LOSS OF OIL QUANTITY AND PRESSURE CAUSED BY A FAILED REAR BEARING SEAL.

Narrative: UPON REACHING 7000 FT WHILE APCHING ORD FROM THE NW AT APPROX 20 NM N, WE SUDDENLY LOST ALL OIL IN THE R ENG. OIL PRESSURE DROPPED INITIALLY TO 20 PSI AND SUBSEQUENTLY DROPPED TO 10 PSI WHERE IT REMAINED. OIL QUANTITY READ ZERO AND OIL TEMP REMAINED AT 80 DEGS C. WE IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER AND RECEIVED VECTORS TO THE ARPT FOR A VISUAL APCH. ORD APCH HANDLED US EXTREMELY SMOOTHLY AND MADE THINGS SIMPLE FOR US DURING THIS BUSY TIME. WE ELECTED TO KEEP THE ENG AT IDLE AFTER COMPLETING THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS. THE FO FLEW THE ACFT WHILE I COMPLETED THE CHKLISTS, BRIEFED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND THE PAX. WE WERE ON THE GND IN APPROX 6 MINS. AFTER LNDG, WE SHUT DOWN THE ENG AND HAD THE FIRE EQUIP INSPECT THE ENG AND SURROUNDING AREA. THEY FOUND ALL IN ORDER EXCEPT FOR SOME OIL RESIDUE WHICH WAS EXPECTED. WE ELECTED NOT TO START THE APU DUE TO QUESTIONS AS TO THE AMOUNT OF OIL ON THE ACFT AND THE CLOSE PROX OF THE APU EXHAUST TO THE R ENG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE R ENG WAS A P&W JT8D- 217. LOSS OF OIL AND PRESSURE WAS CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE #6 REAR BEARING SEAL. THE RPTR SAID THAT ENG MAINTAINED 10 PSI AT IDLE SO THE ENG WAS LEFT RUNNING TO SUPPLY HYDRAULICS AND ELECTRICAL PWR. THE RPTR STATED THIS #6 BEARING SEAL IS THE THIRD REPORTED FAILURE IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS AND MAY BE BECOMING A PROBLEM.

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.