Oil on the windshield. What would you do?

Grumman-581 wrote:
On Sat, 27 Jan 2007 08:28:13 -0800, in
. com, Tony Cox wrote:
Can anyone think of a better response?
Get out your bottle of windex and paper towels, pull back the canopy, and
clean the windshield?

Do what John Belushi did in the Blues Brothers, take out the napkins,
lean out the window and clean the passenger side window.

"Tower. This is Cessna N12345. We're in a field."

Gerald

Of course, there's always a chance that a higher power setting used in
a climb would make the catastrophic failure occur sooner.

On Jan 27, 11:50 am, Roy Smith wrote:
I've always figured I would start to climb (and, of course, head for the
nearest airport while doing that). If I've got a fixed amount of time that
the engine is going to continue to run, I'll use that time to store up as
much energy as I can in the form of altitude.

In article . com,
says...
Here's a question that anyone with a single
engine, constant speed prop might have to
deal with sometime.

You're cruising along happily when suddenly
oil drops start appearing on the windshield. There
is no "bang" or anything else to indicate catastrophic
failure. The nearest airport is out of gliding range.
What do you do?

I'd assume symptoms were caused by some prop seal
failure. I'd go to fine pitch (to minimize further oil
loss) & then reduce RPM to where I could still maintain
altitude (to further minimize oil loss, and to minimize
structural damage if the prop were about to disintegrate)
while heading for the nearest airport.

Can anyone think of a better response?

One of our club planes (a C-172) blew a frost plug in flight - they
continued flight to reach the field (10 minutes), landing with no oil
found in the engine. (Can't recall the bill for the engine rebuild but
it was tens of thousands).

Saving grace may well have been topping up the oil before departure -
what is it? 6.5 quarts? I'm sure they were glad of every drop.

I'd do what you have sugggested, and make for the nearest field.

--
Duncan

A "frost plug" in an aircooled motor????? Geez I can see a oil line
plug but most of those are the screw in type, not press fit ...

On Jan 27, 5:14 pm, Duncan (NZ) wrote:
In article . com,
says...





Here's a question that anyone with a single
engine, constant speed prop might have to
deal with sometime.

You're cruising along happily when suddenly
oil drops start appearing on the windshield. There
is no "bang" or anything else to indicate catastrophic
failure. The nearest airport is out of gliding range.
What do you do?

I'd assume symptoms were caused by some prop seal
failure. I'd go to fine pitch (to minimize further oil
loss) & then reduce RPM to where I could still maintain
altitude (to further minimize oil loss, and to minimize
structural damage if the prop were about to disintegrate)
while heading for the nearest airport.

Can anyone think of a better response?One of our club planes (a C-172) blew a frost plug in flight - they
continued flight to reach the field (10 minutes), landing with no oil
found in the engine. (Can't recall the bill for the engine rebuild but
it was tens of thousands).

Saving grace may well have been topping up the oil before departure -
what is it? 6.5 quarts? I'm sure they were glad of every drop.

I'd do what you have sugggested, and make for the nearest field.

--
Duncan- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -

Duncan (NZ) wrote:
One of our club planes (a C-172) blew a frost plug in flight - they
continued flight to reach the field (10 minutes), landing with no oil
found in the engine. (Can't recall the bill for the engine rebuild but
it was tens of thousands).
...
I'd do what you have sugggested, and make for the nearest field.

it depends on what kind of field is below. It might be better to spend
$20k on the engine and making the field than crashing in the field,
wrecking the plane and killing yourself.

As for the money aspect, in a club plane, the maintenance of the plane
is entirely up the club (or owner on lease back). They charge a renter
are fee for renting the plane which includes the maintenance on the
plane. As a renter, I expect to get a plane that will not have any kind
of failure. If it fails, I am not going to risk my life nor my
passengers lives to save the owner some money. Much of the reason I say
this is because the head of MX at my club also owns or owned ~8 a/c
online. They were known to have serious MX issues that this head of MX
and owner conveniently wrote off as fixed. Most CFI refused to fly them
yet plenty of renters rented them. Yea, conflict of interest the club
refused to fix. I fly the only a/c online that is not maintained by the
club. it's older but in excellent condition and everything works nearly
every time. And I would love to join a different club or own my own
plane but so far sticking to this one airplane is the best choice for
me. So back to the original question, the cost of the repair of a club
plane will not affect my decision whatsoever. In return, I treat the
aircraft that I rent as though it was my own. I fully clean up the
interior afterwards often nicer than the way I received the plane and
treat the engine and avionics like they were my own. I also give
frequent PIREPS to the owner. Oh, and of course make the most gentle
of landings every single time. ;-)

Gerald

touch nothing, divert to the nearest airfield,
monitor oil temperature and pressure, low oil levels will cause temperature
to increase,
you already know you are loosing oil but at what rate?
low oil pressure might mean the oil sump is about empty.
it would take a lot of oil for that to happen, you may not be able to see
out the front then
but remember that not all the oil will be on the windshield, some will be on
the belly etc
remain high for glide if the engine does quit

if there is a tower where you are going, call them early and request
priority, tell them you suspect an engine oil loss problem.
if it is only a uncontrolled field, call and let them know early, just in
case you have to land in that field one mile short, they will be looking for
you

the oil will "streak" in the slip stream
changing power prop settings "even to fine" will cause the seals in the prop
hub to flex, why move them more than you have too.

BT

"Tony Cox" wrote in message
ups.com...
Here's a question that anyone with a single
engine, constant speed prop might have to
deal with sometime.

You're cruising along happily when suddenly
oil drops start appearing on the windshield. There
is no "bang" or anything else to indicate catastrophic
failure. The nearest airport is out of gliding range.
What do you do?

I'd assume symptoms were caused by some prop seal
failure. I'd go to fine pitch (to minimize further oil
loss) & then reduce RPM to where I could still maintain
altitude (to further minimize oil loss, and to minimize
structural damage if the prop were about to disintegrate)
while heading for the nearest airport.

Can anyone think of a better response?

In article . com,
says...
A "frost plug" in an aircooled motor????? Geez I can see a oil line
plug but most of those are the screw in type, not press fit ...

heh - I'll see if I can find the write up - I think one was done in a
newsletter. But yer right, it obviously wasn't a frost plug.

--
Duncan

On Sat, 27 Jan 2007 18:25:05 -0800, "BT" wrote:

touch nothing, divert to the nearest airfield,

I've heard a statistic tossed around at Wings seminars stating that
most engine failures occur during a change or adjustment. Guest
engine experts seem to always agree not to touch anything if it's
still running and high confidence of the exact problem isn't
available.

I wish I could find the detailed information. Has anyone else heard
this?

BT opined

the oil will "streak" in the slip stream
changing power prop settings "even to fine" will cause the seals in the prop
hub to flex, why move them more than you have too.

Because the governor is constantly changing the blade angle, and thus
aggravating the leak. Going to fine pitch means that the blades will move
only once more for the rest of the flight.



-ash
Cthulhu in 2007!
Why wait for nature?

Robert M. Gary wrote:


I'd probably avoid touching anything and head towards the airport.
Could a prop seal really leak enough oil to make drops appear on the
windscreen? Usually prop seal leaks show up as moisture under the
prop.


If the engine is running a prop seal will most definitely throw
oil on the windshield. I can related two different props. In
the case of the old Hartzell bladder controllable props (like
many 50's era Navions, Bonanazas, Commanches) the bladder will
start to fail and throw a small amount of oil. It does this
right before you get around to replacing that bladder (it's
supposed to be replaced every three years, but I usually did
it every other year).

Back years ago one of my professors from college was restoring
a Taylorcraft. A bunch of us aviation minded folk headed out
to the airport with him. Two guys got assigned to hold the
tail and I was inside the cockpit on the throttle and switches
while the prof swung the prop. Right after the engine start
and in the seconds before I got it shutdown the prop seal
blew. The prof was fine as he was in front of the prop.
I was OK because I was inside the aircraft...but the two
guys holding the tail got nicely greased.