ACR SMT INFLT ENGINE SHUT DOWN ON FRY FLT. CONTINUED TO DESTINATION.

Narrative

AFTER REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE RIGHTHAND FUEL PUMP ON SMT; I WAS REPOSITIONING THE ACFT TO DEN FROM ITS POINT OF REPAIR; BILLINGS; MT. AFTER DEP; APPROX 35 MINS; THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE AND CONTINUED TO DO SO. IT APPEARED TO BECOME WORSE WITH TIME. I ELECTED TO SHUT THE ENG (RIGHT SIDE) DOWN 35 MI NW OF MBW; ABOUT 30 MI S OF CASPER; WY. I CONTINUED ON TO DEN W/O ADDITIONAL PROB. ON 8/MON/88; I NOTIFIED DEN FSDO OF THE ENG SHUTDOWN OUT OF PROFESSIONAL COURTESY. ON 8/THU/88; I WAS ASKED TO GIVE SOME MORE DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT. THE OPS INSPECTOR READ TO ME FAR 91.29(B) AND SUGGESTED THAT I WOULD PROBABLY GO UNDER INVESTIGATION. IF I HAD TO DO IT AGAIN; I WOULD HAVE LANDED IN CASPER AND IGNORED MY FRUSTRATION OF BEING AWAY FROM HOME FOR THE REPAIR IN BILLINGS. I WAS ALSO ATTEMPTING TO SAVE OUR COMPANY ADDITIONAL DOWNTIME. THIS WILL NOT BE A FACTOR IN MY FUTURE DECISION MAKING. I ALSO WILL IN THE FUTURE NOT GIVE ANY INFO TO THE FAA UNLESS REQUESTED AS REQUIRED. I AM IN NO DOUBT THAT I ERRED IN JUDGEMENT OVER THIS MATTER. UNFORTUNATELY; THE FAA HAS BECOME AN ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND CAN NO LONGER BE LOOKED AT AS A SVC PARTNER. MY FEELING IS; THAT AS LONG AS WE; THE USERS OF THE SYS; ARE IN FEAR OF THE FAA; IT WILL ONLY WEAKEN THE INTEGRITY AND SAFETY BECAUSE WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO HIDE THE TRUTH INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO GO TO THE FAA AS A SVC ORGANIZATION FOR HELP/ADVICE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE FAA IS CONTINUING THEIR INVESTIGATION. POST-FLT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE ENG WAS LOSING OIL AND THE PROB WAS NOT A GAUGE FAILURE AS THE PLT THOUGHT AT THE TIME. THIS RPTR IS AN FAA DESIGNATED CHK PLT AND THE FAA HAS THREATENED TO CANCEL THIS DESIGNATION BECAUSE OF 'DEMONSTRATED POOR JUDGEMENT.'