MD-83
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
While climbing out of FL280 we noticed the oil quantity on the right engine went from 12 quarts down to eight. We immediately ran the QRH for oil quantity. The QRH said that it was likely that the oil cap was left off and that oil should stabilize around 4 to 6 quarts. We called company on Commercial Radio to let them know the possibility of us having to divert and also what they recommended. The oil quantity [was] about five quarts when we declared an emergency and deviated to a nearby airport. We elected to keep the engine running as long as parameters were in acceptable limits. The pressure never dropped and the oil temperature never rose higher than the left engine. The Captain updated the flight attendants and passengers while I continued to fly and monitor ATC. We ran the diversion checklist and other appropriate checklists and landed at the diversion airport. We transferred the controls in the terminal area and the Captain made the landing. After we came to a stop on the runway we shutdown the right engine and had the airport fire department look at the engine before proceeding to the gate. We landed with approximately three quarts of oil. We wrote up the airplane and Maintenance later advised a seal had broken allowing oil to escape close to the starter.
I did ask for the controls on approach as we received a wind check and wind was near my low time in type First Officer's crosswind limitation.
While climbing out of FL280 a MD83 crew noticed the oil quantity on the right engine went from 12 quarts down to eight. The crew diverted to a nearby airport where Maintenance later advised a seal had broken allowing oil to escape close to the starter.