An MD83 in descent at 14000 ft declared an emergency due to #1 engine oil strainer clog warning ligh...

Attributes
ACN	622780
Time
Date	200406
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s46.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	622780
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : # 1 engine oil clog warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

In the descent to sea, about 14000 ft, a 'left engine oil strainer clog' light came on in the overhead panel. I checked the QRH and the procedure called for pulling the left engine to idle. The light went out for a while, but came on again a few mins later and stayed on until landing. The procedure requires that the engine be operated in idle and that if the oil temperature and pressure rise, then engine should be shut down. I declared an emergency with approach so that we could get priority to the field, and to let them know that we were operating 1 engine in idle and could possibly have an in-flight shutdown. We landed, shut down the left engine and taxied to the gate. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the engine oil strainer was removed and cleaned. The reporter said the screens were plugged with carbon particles but no metal was found. The reporter stated the oil strainer was reinstalled after cleaning and the engine run at part in power and operated normally. The reporter said a deferred item was entered for a 25 hour strainer rechk. The reporter stated the engine was a pratt & whitney JT8D-219.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD83 IN DSCNT AT 14000 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO #1 ENG OIL STRAINER CLOG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ENG OPERATED AT IDLE.

Narrative: IN THE DSCNT TO SEA, ABOUT 14000 FT, A 'L ENG OIL STRAINER CLOG' LIGHT CAME ON IN THE OVERHEAD PANEL. I CHKED THE QRH AND THE PROC CALLED FOR PULLING THE L ENG TO IDLE. THE LIGHT WENT OUT FOR A WHILE, BUT CAME ON AGAIN A FEW MINS LATER AND STAYED ON UNTIL LNDG. THE PROC REQUIRES THAT THE ENG BE OPERATED IN IDLE AND THAT IF THE OIL TEMP AND PRESSURE RISE, THEN ENG SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN. I DECLARED AN EMER WITH APCH SO THAT WE COULD GET PRIORITY TO THE FIELD, AND TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE WERE OPERATING 1 ENG IN IDLE AND COULD POSSIBLY HAVE AN INFLT SHUTDOWN. WE LANDED, SHUT DOWN THE L ENG AND TAXIED TO THE GATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ENG OIL STRAINER WAS REMOVED AND CLEANED. THE RPTR SAID THE SCREENS WERE PLUGGED WITH CARBON PARTICLES BUT NO METAL WAS FOUND. THE RPTR STATED THE OIL STRAINER WAS REINSTALLED AFTER CLEANING AND THE ENG RUN AT PART IN PWR AND OPERATED NORMALLY. THE RPTR SAID A DEFERRED ITEM WAS ENTERED FOR A 25 HR STRAINER RECHK. THE RPTR STATED THE ENG WAS A PRATT & WHITNEY JT8D-219.

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.

An MD83 in descent at 14000 ft declared an emergency due to #1 engine oil strainer clog warning light illuminated. Engine operated at idle.