CL600 Flight Crew experiences fluctuating oil pressure with eventual loss of oil pressure on the right engine. Engine is shut down and flight diverts to nearest suitable airport.
Synopsis
CL600 Flight Crew experiences fluctuating oil pressure with eventual loss of oil pressure on the right engine. Engine is shut down and flight diverts to nearest suitable airport.
Narrative
As we were climbing through the mid-20's we started to notice that the Right oil pressure gauge was fluctuating. It was still in the normal operating range and all other engine indications where normal. We were cleared to FL370; upon reaching FL370 and in cruise we started to notice that the Right oil pressure gauge was still fluctuating but more into the yellow and red but up and down from green to red. Within a few minutes the Right oil pressure started to fluctuate in the red and yellow only to eventually go red then disappear with the illumination of the 'LOP' light (low oil pressure). We proceeded to the checklist and were starting to discuss an airport to divert to after we would shutdown the engine per the checklist. During this time the engine made a deep growl sound. I retarded the throttle and the growl went away and the oil pressure 'LOP' light momentarily extinguished and the oil pressure rose into the yellow then green. I advanced the throttle and only momentarily did the oil pressure stay then dropped again with the illumination of the 'LOP' light and follow by a bang and the engine spooling down. At that point we declared an emergency and Center told us a suitable airport was 130 miles away. We asked for a heading and a descent while we programmed our FMS. ATC gave us a heading and we descended and went through the necessary checklist to secure the engine and systems for landing. We declined emergency equipment. The weather was VFR and we descended to enter a wide left downwind/left base for runway 4. We landed without incident.
Second reporter narrative
Shortly before leveling at FL370 we noticed the right engine oil pressure was fluctuating between the green and the red range. About one hour into the flight; it was beginning to show signs of pressure loss. While still fluctuating; occasionally the low oil pressure [LOP] light would blink on. Soon the light went steady red; which by the checklist calls for an in-flight shutdown. With checklist in hand; I was about to start reading the procedure when the right engine started to make a growling noise; followed within seconds of the engine shutting itself down. We declared an emergency to center; which promptly cleared us direct to a suitable airport. They gave us an initial vector; and asked if we needed emergency equipment on landing; which we declined. They asked for fuel status and souls on board. The weather was VFR and they had a long runway; which made it an easy decision as to where we needed to divert to. We approached the airport from the northwest; entered a VFR pattern and made an uneventful landing.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.