A C177-RG PVT PLT LOSES ALL OF HIS ENG OIL WHEN HIS ENG'S REAR OIL SEAL FAILS. HE SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED AN ADVISORY AND FLT ASSIST FROM THE APCH CTLR AT LIT FOR AN EMER FORCED LNDG AT M99; AR.

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AN OIL SEAL ON THE REAR OF ENG FAILED; CAUSING VERY RAPID LOSS OF OIL AND ENG FAILURE. I WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH LITTLE ROCK ATC WHO WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL IN LOCATING A SUITABLE ARPT TO GLIDE TO. M99 WAS 13.5 MI FROM ME AND I GLIDED THERE WITHOUT INCIDENT. FORTUNATELY; THERE WAS NO OIL FIRE. THE ACFT WAS COVERED IN OIL. I FIRST NOTICED A FAINT SMELL; LIKE DIESEL EXHAUST AND CHKED THAT ALL GAUGES WERE NORMAL. A MIN OR 2 LATER; OIL PRESSURE WAS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GREEN. (IT HAD 7 1/2 QUARTS OF OIL ON PREFLT INSPECTION.) I GLANCED AT ALL OTHER GAUGES AND BACK AT OIL PRESSURE. IT NOW SHOWED 20 LBS OF PRESSURE. I PULLED THE ENG BACK TO AN IDLE AND STARTED A DSCNT FROM 10500 FT; NOTIFYING LITTLE ROCK OF THE PROB. OIL PRESSURE WENT TO ZERO AND THE ENG MAGNETOS AND MIXTURE WERE TURNED OFF. A GLIDE WAS SET UP AND THE FIELD (M99) WAS REACHED; WITH PRAYER. THE LCL MECH FEELS AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE CONCERNING THE GASKETS ON ENG MAY NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLIED WITH BY MY MECHS. THIS QUESTION IS NOT RESOLVED YET. I WOULD BE SURPRISED; AS THEY ARE VERY GOOD AND HAVE COMPLIED WITH ALL OTHER AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES.