AN AEROSTAR 601P CAPT RETURNED TO LAND AT CXY AFTER TWR INFORMED HIM OF SMOKE TRAILING FROM HIS ACFT.

Narrative

NORMAL TKOF WAS PERFORMED. AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL; TWR CALLED AND TOLD ME THE ACFT WAS TRAILING SMOKE IN A BIG WAY. WE ADVISED WE WANTED TO LAND ASAP. TWR CLRED US TO LAND ANY RWY. WE TURNED L AND LANDED ON RWY 26. OFFENDING END WAS SHUT DOWN ONCE ON THE GND. OIL LEAK WAS DUE TO A CRACKED O-RING IN THE R PROP GOVERNOR; NO WAY TO CHK ON PREFLT. IF THIS HAPPENS TO ME AGAIN; I WILL NOT TURN AS QUICKLY TO LAND. I BELIEVE I ACTED SOMEWHAT HASTILY TO TURN TO LAND. ENG WAS STILL PRODUCING PWR AND BETTER TO GAIN ALT AND LOSE THE ENG THAN STALL ON BASE-TO-FINAL BECAUSE I TURNED TOO SHARPLY TO MAKE THE RWY. ONCE I WAS CLRED TO LAND; TWR CONFIRMED FOR ME THAT MY GEAR WAS DOWN. THIS IS GREAT. IN AN EMER TYPE SIT; THE PLT'S ATTN MAY NOT BE ON 'NORMAL' THINGS LIKE THE GEAR. ALSO; THE FACT THAT THE TWR CTLR NOTICED THE SMOKE IN THE FIRST PLACE IS APPRECIATED. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF ALL TWR CTLRS DID WHAT THE CXY CTLRS DID FOR ME IN THIS CASE. AS PIC; I WILL ACT A LITTLE MORE DELIBERATELY NEXT TIME. THE LNDG HERE WAS SUCCESSFUL; BUT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER AND SAFER IF I TOOK MORE TIME. NO NEED TO RUSH.