PLT IN PA34-200T OVERFLIES NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT NEAR MLF; UT; AND CONTINUES TO LAND AT GJT; CO. INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN FROM EXCESSIVE OIL LEAK IN #1 ENG.

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ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM SAN JOSE INTL; CA; TO EAGLE; CO; JAN/THU/97; I EXPERIENCED AN EXCESSIVE OIL LEAK FROM THE L ENG OF MY SENECA II. I WAS FLYING AT FL190 ON V244 PAST MILFORD VOR; UT; AND ELECTED TO AND SUBSEQUENTLY SAFELY LANDED AT GRAND JUNCTION; CO; OVERFLYING SEVERAL ARPTS. AT THE TIME I WAS VFR ON TOP WITH A BROKEN LAYER BELOW AT ABOUT 12000 FT. MY OPTIONS WERE TO LAND AT MILFORD; OR SEVERAL SMALLER ARPTS ENRTE; HOWEVER; USING MY PIC AUTH; I ELECTED TO FLY TO GRAND JUNCTION. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN MY REASONING IF ANY ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION IS ANTICIPATED FOR OVERFLYING THE NEAREST ARPT WHEN FLYING WITH 1 ENG SECURED. AFTER SECURING THE L ENG; I HAD TRIMMED THE AIRPLANE APPROPRIATELY BUT BECAUSE OF THE ALT; STARTED A GRADUAL DSCNT. MY OPTIONS WERE SEVERAL ARPTS IN THE VICINITY HOWEVER; I ELECTED TO FLY TO GRAND JUNCTION FOR SEVERAL REASONS. THERE WAS A CLOUD DECK BELOW; AND THOUGH BROKEN; I WOULD HAVE HAD TO MAKE AN IFR APCH TO MILFORD; UT; WHICH HAD ONLY A NON PRECISION APCH. I HAD BEEN TO MILFORD THE YR BEFORE AND I DID NOT HAVE RADAR COVERAGE THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED GUIDE ME TO THE FINAL APCH FIX. I WAS FAMILIAR WITH GRAND JUNCTION. I KNEW THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THAT RADAR WAS AVAILABLE TO GUIDE ME TO THE FINAL APCH FIX OF A PRECISION APCH. THIS; WITH A 10000 FT RWY WOULD GIVE THIS PLT EXTRA MARGIN FOR ERROR. IN SHORT; I FELT IT WAS SAFER TO FLY A STABLE AIRPLANE WITH 1 ENG SECURED TO A MORE APPROPRIATE ARPT; THAN TO LAND AT A CLOSER UNFAMILIAR ARPT WITH A SHORTER RWY; NO RADAR CTL AND A NON PRECISION APCH.