Narrative:

On filed IFR going from ZZZ1 to ZZZ; about 45 mins out of ZZZ; got a caution light on oil pressure (borderline red/yellow -- 10 psi). All other gauges read correctly (fuel flow; oil temperature; manifold pressure; egt). Besides the low oil pressure reading; seemed normal. Advised ATC that I was seeing this low pressure and might need emergency vectoring if the situation deteriorated. ATC asked whether I wanted to declare an emergency at the time; but I said not yet. I believe I told them I wasn't sure if it was a gauge problem or not. In flying this aircraft before; I had an intermittent fuel flow indication. After filing a squawk with the club X (aircraft is rented); they inferred in another e-mail to me that my squawk might have unnecessarily grounded the aircraft. So; I was sensitive to not wanting to jump the gun here on another gauge reading when all other gauges looked good (oil temperature was around 180 degrees). ATC stepped my altitude down lower for safety. During that time; pressure slowly dropped 9..8..7 psi. About 5 mins out from the airport; I had a real problem. Seemed the propeller started to over-speed due to low pressure; and pressure dropped to 5 psi. Then heard a bang and engine shook violently. I declared an emergency. Throttle response seemed minimal. My son; flying as mission assistant in the right seat; said he saw sparks coming from the engine compartment; but I can't confirm. Contacted ZZZ tower and they gave me either direction for runway xxl or runway yr. I chose runway xxl for wind and proceeded with a short approach. As I touched down; engine seized (no power); but I suspect I was on zero power while still on approach (propeller wind-milling). Part of the problem here was not knowing if I could trust the gauges. Given my history with the airplane; I could not be sure whether I was seeing just another gauge problem; or a real condition. Backup oil pressure/temperature gauges? I know this is an extra expense; but have just gone through a real situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SR22 PILOT EXPERIENCED LOW OIL PRESSURE LEADING TO AN ENGINE FAILURE. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED SAFELY ON THE RUNWAY.

Narrative: ON FILED IFR GOING FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ; ABOUT 45 MINS OUT OF ZZZ; GOT A CAUTION LIGHT ON OIL PRESSURE (BORDERLINE RED/YELLOW -- 10 PSI). ALL OTHER GAUGES READ CORRECTLY (FUEL FLOW; OIL TEMP; MANIFOLD PRESSURE; EGT). BESIDES THE LOW OIL PRESSURE READING; SEEMED NORMAL. ADVISED ATC THAT I WAS SEEING THIS LOW PRESSURE AND MIGHT NEED EMER VECTORING IF THE SITUATION DETERIORATED. ATC ASKED WHETHER I WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER AT THE TIME; BUT I SAID NOT YET. I BELIEVE I TOLD THEM I WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS A GAUGE PROB OR NOT. IN FLYING THIS ACFT BEFORE; I HAD AN INTERMITTENT FUEL FLOW INDICATION. AFTER FILING A SQUAWK WITH THE CLUB X (ACFT IS RENTED); THEY INFERRED IN ANOTHER E-MAIL TO ME THAT MY SQUAWK MIGHT HAVE UNNECESSARILY GROUNDED THE ACFT. SO; I WAS SENSITIVE TO NOT WANTING TO JUMP THE GUN HERE ON ANOTHER GAUGE READING WHEN ALL OTHER GAUGES LOOKED GOOD (OIL TEMP WAS AROUND 180 DEGS). ATC STEPPED MY ALT DOWN LOWER FOR SAFETY. DURING THAT TIME; PRESSURE SLOWLY DROPPED 9..8..7 PSI. ABOUT 5 MINS OUT FROM THE ARPT; I HAD A REAL PROB. SEEMED THE PROP STARTED TO OVER-SPD DUE TO LOW PRESSURE; AND PRESSURE DROPPED TO 5 PSI. THEN HEARD A BANG AND ENG SHOOK VIOLENTLY. I DECLARED AN EMER. THROTTLE RESPONSE SEEMED MINIMAL. MY SON; FLYING AS MISSION ASSISTANT IN THE R SEAT; SAID HE SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE ENG COMPARTMENT; BUT I CAN'T CONFIRM. CONTACTED ZZZ TWR AND THEY GAVE ME EITHER DIRECTION FOR RWY XXL OR RWY YR. I CHOSE RWY XXL FOR WIND AND PROCEEDED WITH A SHORT APCH. AS I TOUCHED DOWN; ENG SEIZED (NO PWR); BUT I SUSPECT I WAS ON ZERO PWR WHILE STILL ON APCH (PROP WIND-MILLING). PART OF THE PROB HERE WAS NOT KNOWING IF I COULD TRUST THE GAUGES. GIVEN MY HISTORY WITH THE AIRPLANE; I COULD NOT BE SURE WHETHER I WAS SEEING JUST ANOTHER GAUGE PROB; OR A REAL CONDITION. BACKUP OIL PRESSURE/TEMP GAUGES? I KNOW THIS IS AN EXTRA EXPENSE; BUT HAVE JUST GONE THROUGH A REAL SITUATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.