PLT OF NEAR NEW MOONEY OVATION IS CHAGRINED THAT ATC AND FAA OVER REACTED TO HIS REQUEST FOR A DIVERSION DUE TO FLUCTUATING OIL PRESSURE.

Date: 2001-04 · Aircraft: M-20 R Ovation · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe

Synopsis

PLT OF NEAR NEW MOONEY OVATION IS CHAGRINED THAT ATC AND FAA OVER REACTED TO HIS REQUEST FOR A DIVERSION DUE TO FLUCTUATING OIL PRESSURE.

Narrative

I TOLD CENTER THAT I WANTED TO DIVERT TO ZZZ BECAUSE OF ERRATIC OIL PRESSURE READINGS. I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS PRETTY SURE IT WAS THE GAUGE AND WANTED TO LAND JUST TO BE SURE AND THAT ALL ELSE WAS FINE. THEY CLRED ME TO ZZZ AND PUT ME OVER TO ZZZ APCH. ZZZ APCH ASKED ME; HOW MANY SOULS ON BOARD? AND; HOW MUCH FUEL? I REPLIED '2 ON BOARD AND A COUPLE HRS OF FUEL AND THAT I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER AND WAS FINE.' THEY WENT ON TO ASK ME IF I WANTED RWY XX AS OPPOSED TO THE ACTIVE RWY YY BECAUSE IT WAS BIGGER. I EXPLAINED TO THEM AGAIN THAT WE DIDN'T NEED RWY XX AND RWY YY WAS FINE. THEY VECTORED ME IN FOR A STRAIGHT-IN FINAL AND CLRED ME TO LAND ON RWY YY. THEY HAD A FIRE TRUCK WAITING FOR ME. THIS; IN MY OPINION; WAS OVERKILL AND A WASTE. MAYBE THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT I WAS FINE AND THAT I WAS LYING. WHAT'S THE POINT IN COM THEN. NOW THE FAA HAS CONTACTED ME ASKING ABOUT THE INCIDENT. NO BIG DEAL; BUT A WASTE. THE WHOLE SITUATION MAKES ME THINK THAT NEXT TIME I SHOULD LIE OR WORSE YET; IGNORE THE ERRATIC READINGS AND CONTINUE ON. I WAS STRAIGHT FORTH WITH THE SITUATION WITHOUT USELESS RADIO CHATTER TO AVOID USELESS DRAMA AND WHAT DID I GET? -- FIRE TRUCKS AND A CALL FROM THE FAA. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE WHAT I WOULD DO IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I BELIEVE TAKING THE PLT AT HIS WORD WOULD HAVE SAVED ME SOME GRIEF. WHEN I LANDED; I CONTACTED MOONEY (THE PLANE WAS ONLY 6 MONTHS OLD) TO INQUIRE WHAT OTHER READINGS I WOULD GET IF I HAD LOW OIL PRESSURE (OR ERRATIC IN THIS CASE). I WAS INFORMED THAT I WOULD ALSO GET A DROP IN RPM'S; HIGHER OIL TEMPS; AND HIGHER CYLINDER HEAD TEMPS; NONE OF WHICH I EXPERIENCED. I WAS SATISFIED AS IT MADE SENSE. SEEING HOW I WAS BORED AND DECIDED TO OVERNIGHT; I WENT THE EXTRA MI AND GOT A MECH TO GO THROUGH IT THAT NIGHT. WHEN HE WAS DONE; WE DID A RUN-UP AND THE OIL PRESSURE WAS SOLID. I FLEW HOME THE NEXT DAY AND IT WORKED FINE.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.