Pilot of a cargo piper PA32 lost oil pressure during IFR flight and declared an emergency for diverting to land. ARTCC controller assisted reporter to a nearby VFR airport.

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Attributes
ACN	467886
Time
Date	200003
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : tnv.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : v306.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 194 flight time total : 1808.6 flight time type : 932
ASRS Report	467886
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from aus to hou on V306 at 5000 ft MSL. At about 9 NM from the tnv VOR, in IMC, I noticed that the oil pressure needle was falling. I tried to get a hold of ZHU, but did not get a response. About that time I popped out of the clouds and spotted a rotating beacon. Not wanting to go back into the clouds, I immediate pulled the power back and started a descent, all the while trying to get a hold of ZHU. I was about 700-1000 ft low of my assigned altitude when they responded. I immediately asked for vectors to the closest airport, which was the one I had already started a descent to. I told them I had a problem and that I was losing oil pressure fast. ZHU immediately cleared me for the visual into the navasota municipal airport (60R) and gave me the CTAF. They then told me to call FSS to let them know I was on the ground and to cancel my IFR flight plan (which I did after I landed at 60R).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A CARGO PIPER PA32 LOST OIL PRESSURE DURING IFR FLT AND DECLARED AN EMER FOR DIVERTING TO LAND. ARTCC CTLR ASSISTED RPTR TO A NEARBY VFR ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM AUS TO HOU ON V306 AT 5000 FT MSL. AT ABOUT 9 NM FROM THE TNV VOR, IN IMC, I NOTICED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE NEEDLE WAS FALLING. I TRIED TO GET A HOLD OF ZHU, BUT DID NOT GET A RESPONSE. ABOUT THAT TIME I POPPED OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND SPOTTED A ROTATING BEACON. NOT WANTING TO GO BACK INTO THE CLOUDS, I IMMEDIATE PULLED THE PWR BACK AND STARTED A DSCNT, ALL THE WHILE TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF ZHU. I WAS ABOUT 700-1000 FT LOW OF MY ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THEY RESPONDED. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED FOR VECTORS TO THE CLOSEST ARPT, WHICH WAS THE ONE I HAD ALREADY STARTED A DSCNT TO. I TOLD THEM I HAD A PROB AND THAT I WAS LOSING OIL PRESSURE FAST. ZHU IMMEDIATELY CLRED ME FOR THE VISUAL INTO THE NAVASOTA MUNICIPAL ARPT (60R) AND GAVE ME THE CTAF. THEY THEN TOLD ME TO CALL FSS TO LET THEM KNOW I WAS ON THE GND AND TO CANCEL MY IFR FLT PLAN (WHICH I DID AFTER I LANDED AT 60R).

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.