MD88 flight crew experiences loss of oil quantity. Flight crew declared an emergency and diverted.

Attributes
ACN	723918
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc artcc : eggx.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	723918
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : oil quantity guage other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Scheduled city pair. At cruise I noticed right engine oil quantity decreasing with normal pressure and temperature indications. We applied QRH procedure; which leaves engine operating. After conference with maintenance and dispatcher; we all decided that a diversion to ZZZ was the safest course of action. Since I was not certain how long the engine would operate without oil quantity; I declared emergency in range of ZZZ for opposite-direction traffic priority. We briefed and flew a single-engine landing profile in the event of engine failure. Once I applied crosswind controls; an oil strainer message illuminated; so I retarded that engine to idle for landing. Once safely off the runway; I terminated the emergency and taxied safely to the gate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLT CREW EXPERIENCES LOSS OF OIL QUANTITY. FLT CREW DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED.

Narrative: SCHEDULED CITY PAIR. AT CRUISE I NOTICED R ENG OIL QUANTITY DECREASING WITH NORMAL PRESSURE AND TEMP INDICATIONS. WE APPLIED QRH PROC; WHICH LEAVES ENG OPERATING. AFTER CONFERENCE WITH MAINT AND DISPATCHER; WE ALL DECIDED THAT A DIVERSION TO ZZZ WAS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION. SINCE I WAS NOT CERTAIN HOW LONG THE ENG WOULD OPERATE WITHOUT OIL QUANTITY; I DECLARED EMER IN RANGE OF ZZZ FOR OPPOSITE-DIRECTION TFC PRIORITY. WE BRIEFED AND FLEW A SINGLE-ENG LNDG PROFILE IN THE EVENT OF ENG FAILURE. ONCE I APPLIED XWIND CTLS; AN OIL STRAINER MESSAGE ILLUMINATED; SO I RETARDED THAT ENG TO IDLE FOR LNDG. ONCE SAFELY OFF THE RWY; I TERMINATED THE EMER AND TAXIED SAFELY TO THE GATE.

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.