SR22
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 130; Flight Crew Total 2600; Flight Crew Type 180
Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Post maintenance (post annual) flight to check condition of aircraft. Upon initial climb out IFR in a left turn direct; my aircraft was receiving high engine oil temperature warnings on the Crew Alert System. Sitting right seat was an A&P who conducted the annual inspection of the aircraft. Oil temperature kept climbing to about 245F and my A&P and I both agreed that we should cut short the flight and return to base. At that time I requested a return and vectors for the RNAV runway 35. I was asked if I was declaring an emergency and I said that I was not but would like expedited vectors because I was starting to get concerned if the oil temperature went much higher; I would have an engine failure and thus a true emergency. After receiving vectors and a descent I got into VMC conditions (below the cloud deck) and cancelled IFR. At that time ATC informed me that they were [giving priority handling to me]. At this point I had the airport in visual contact and conducted a visual approach to runway 35. I was handed off to the airport tower and the rest of the flight was uneventful. My maintenance shop is currently troubleshooting and addressing the issue. No known cause yet as to what caused the high engine oil temperature but cylinders number 3 and number 4 were replaced during the annual inspection a week prior to the test flight. There was nothing additional I felt could be done to prevent this from happening as the whole point of the flight was to detect any issues post-maintenance that needed to be addressed.
The pilot of a Cirrus SR22T elected to return to the departure airport due to high engine oil temperature.