C152 oil seal failure after recent maintenance results in off airport landing near iad, va.

Attributes
ACN	489598
Time
Date	200010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : aml.vor
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	489598
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters other maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eng instruments other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was flying a C152 from a grass strip near summit point, wv (between okv and mrb), to return it from maintenance to its home base at jyo. As I flew east across the blue ridge mountains, the engine began to run rough and lose power. I tried carburetor heat, checked magnetos, and checked fuel with no success. I then noticed high engine temperature and low oil pressure. I called dulles approach and declared an emergency. I was vectored to the north to a grass strip. However, oil began to spew out over the windshield and I was unable to maintain altitude. I elected to immediately land in an open field near hillsboro, va. The landing was uneventful with no damage to the aircraft. I was told later that a main oil seal had failed. I believe I did most things correctly including not panicking. However, I was slow to correctly diagnose the problem as loss of oil. I spent too much time trying carburetor heat.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 OIL SEAL FAILURE AFTER RECENT MAINT RESULTS IN OFF ARPT LNDG NEAR IAD, VA.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A C152 FROM A GRASS STRIP NEAR SUMMIT POINT, WV (BTWN OKV AND MRB), TO RETURN IT FROM MAINT TO ITS HOME BASE AT JYO. AS I FLEW E ACROSS THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS, THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE PWR. I TRIED CARB HEAT, CHKED MAGNETOS, AND CHKED FUEL WITH NO SUCCESS. I THEN NOTICED HIGH ENG TEMP AND LOW OIL PRESSURE. I CALLED DULLES APCH AND DECLARED AN EMER. I WAS VECTORED TO THE N TO A GRASS STRIP. HOWEVER, OIL BEGAN TO SPEW OUT OVER THE WINDSHIELD AND I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. I ELECTED TO IMMEDIATELY LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD NEAR HILLSBORO, VA. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. I WAS TOLD LATER THAT A MAIN OIL SEAL HAD FAILED. I BELIEVE I DID MOST THINGS CORRECTLY INCLUDING NOT PANICKING. HOWEVER, I WAS SLOW TO CORRECTLY DIAGNOSE THE PROB AS LOSS OF OIL. I SPENT TOO MUCH TIME TRYING CARB HEAT.

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.