MD-83
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure; Training / Qualification; Workload; Distraction; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; General Declared Emergency
Chart Or Publication; Manuals; Aircraft
Upon reaching our level off altitude of 11;000 FT we noticed the amber light for the oil temperature gauge was illuminated and the temperature read 145 degrees and was fluctuating between 145-165. We executed the Oil Temp High Checklist and reduced power on the right engine to idle. The oil temperature momentarily reduced to around 125 degrees and then returned back to 155; then kept climbing through 160; 170; 180; and then settled on 199. At this time the crew elected to do a precautionary shutdown of the right engine as prescribed in the Emergency Checklist. We declared an emergency with ATC; and briefed the flight attendants and passengers about the situation. We returned to the departure airport and landed without incident. My suggestions are actually ones of safety/CRM. The Engine Failure/Shutdown Checklist is a very lengthy checklist. It would help future 'actual' (vs. simulated) readings of this checklist if there was any way to condense it. Furthermore; the Single Engine Landing Checklist should be located immediately behind (be attached to) the Engine Failure Checklist. It was rather distracting trying to figure out where in the QRH the checklist was exactly located. At the very least PAGE REFERENCE numbers could be included in the checklist for the Single Engine Landing Checklist as well as to the flaps 28 landing performance numbers. The aircraft is a much busier place during a real engine shutdown versus practice in the simulator. The high stress level in addition to the small distractions or confusions (as the ones listed above) degraded our performance as a crew. I felt that these checklists; or the flow of the checklists; could be improved upon.
An MD-83 engine high oil temperature light illuminated with engine oil indicating between 145-165 so the engine was shutdown; an emergency declared; the QRH complied with and the flight returned to the departure airport.