PA31 loses oil pressure. Engine shut down; emergency declared and returned to departure airport.

Attributes
ACN	711874
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 11300 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	711874
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During climb to 10000 ft MSL right engine oil pressure started fluctuating. No torque or oil temperatures abnormal readings were observed. When oil pressure started to decrease; I elected to return to ZZZ. During turn; oil pressure dropped to the red radial and I shut down the engine. I declared an emergency; secured the engine and returned to ZZZ. The approach and landing was uneventful. Postflt inspection revealed that the oil hose from the engine to the oil cooler had failed. The use of professional simulator based recurrent training made a potentially bad situation into a mere inconvenience.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 LOSES OIL PRESSURE. ENG SHUT DOWN; EMER DECLARED AND RETURNED TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: DURING CLB TO 10000 FT MSL R ENG OIL PRESSURE STARTED FLUCTUATING. NO TORQUE OR OIL TEMPS ABNORMAL READINGS WERE OBSERVED. WHEN OIL PRESSURE STARTED TO DECREASE; I ELECTED TO RETURN TO ZZZ. DURING TURN; OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO THE RED RADIAL AND I SHUT DOWN THE ENG. I DECLARED AN EMER; SECURED THE ENG AND RETURNED TO ZZZ. THE APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE OIL HOSE FROM THE ENG TO THE OIL COOLER HAD FAILED. THE USE OF PROFESSIONAL SIMULATOR BASED RECURRENT TRAINING MADE A POTENTIALLY BAD SITUATION INTO A MERE INCONVENIENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.